After the Fall
by Kushelkitten
Summary: Anthonys and Dylan's POV after the fall from the roof. This story has been reposted by popular demand.
1. Default Chapter

NEW NOTE: This is not a new story. It is being re-posted due to popular demand. (Hello everyone. I own nothing just a few odd characters here and there. If you don't recognize them they are mine. Opinions good and bad are welcome. Part 2 coming soon.)  
  
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Smiles are hard to fake. My heart was broken and there I was trying to have fun at the cast party for ME2. I kept asking myself how I could possibly have a broken heart. I wasn't even in love with him, was I? A good looking guy, a guy I normally would have been flirting with in a heartbeat asked me to dance. He was tall, blonde, tan, and muscular but he wasn't what I wanted at that time. I smiled, I couldn't help but smile if I didn't Id break down in tears, and declined. I heard him mumble something about me being a lesbian under his breath as he walked away. Normally that would have resulted in one of two things, either a) I make him realize I'm not a lesbian or b) I kick his ass. If I though the guy was hot and a possibility I'd go with a) if he was a loser then b) and all bets were off. Tonight I didn't have the strength for either.  
  
I looked around the room for Alex and Jason. I couldn't stay anymore. The happiness everyone had or seemed to have was hard. Natalie had Pete, Alex and Jason were back on and her dad was in town and Max had found a new family with the Bosleys. Altogether they were the next best thing to a family a girl could have and I AM thankful that I have them but I can't help but to be a teeny bit jealous of both Alex and Nat having something I don't think Ill ever find - love.  
  
I've had it or at least though I did a couple times and every time it was a false alarm. About four and a half hours ago I thought I might have had it for real standing on a rooftop kissing the creepy thin man who really wasn't that creepy after all. I keep telling myself it was one kiss, one kiss out of all the times he tried to kill me. It was just a kiss. No, it wasn't just A kiss it was THE kiss. The one that Prince Charming wakes Snow White with, it was the one Deborah Kerr receives rolling around on the wet beach with what's-his-name in "From Here to Eternity", it was perfect. Let me rephrase that, it would have been perfect if he hadn't been stabbed through the heart and thrown off the building before he could say what he wanted to say to me.  
  
I found Alex and Jason nuzzling in a corner. They looked content. I could only wonder how long until they moved in together, became engaged, got married, and Alex left. I knew I was being silly and that wouldn't happen for a long time but I was pretty down. "Hey, you two," I said still smiling my I-am-so-happy smile.  
  
"Oh, hi Dylan," they said at the same time, straightening their clothes and hair.  
  
"I just wanted to thank you for inviting me and tell you again the movie was great."  
  
"Thanks," said Jason sheepishly.  
  
"Yeah, Thanks Dylan," said Alex. I could tell she wanted me to go so they could get back to what they had been doing. Couldn't blame her.  
  
"I also wanted to say that I'm taking off. I'm really tired so Ill see at the office later." Although tomorrow was Saturday chances were we would have another case. The life of an angel and all that you know.  
  
"Ok see you," she said giving me a hug. I then went to look for Natalie and found her where else dancing the night away with Pete. Even I had to wonder where she got all her energy from especially after that fight she had with Madison. I don't think I could have held my own so long with her. "Nat," I yelled as she wiggled by. "Nat." That time she turned around.  
  
"Hey Dylan. How are you doing?"  
  
"Tired," I said. I was good at holding the smile as long as people didn't ask me how I was. I could feel tears starting to bubble up and smiled even bigger.  
  
"Do you want a ride home?" asked Pete. He was always so nice. I wondered why I couldn't find a nice normal guy like him.  
  
"No, that's ok I was just going to catch a cab."  
  
"Dylan we can give you a ride. We were going to go soon anyway. Ill just run over and tell Alex good-bye and well go," said Nat. I was going to open my mouth to complain but she was already gone. Pete said, "Once she has her mind made up there isn't any changing it." He was right that was Natalie for you, especially if it had to do with helping a friend.  
  
"Ok ready," she said a perky as ever. We headed out to the car. On the way home Pete and Natalie sang along to the radio. I joining in for a little bit but then my mind drifted elsewhere. I was back on the rooftop and Seamus' hands were around my throat. I could feel myself sliding over the precipice and suddenly he was gone and Anthony was pulling me up. I remembered thinking "Great another bad guy" but he pulled me close and I could see the concern in his eyes and they gently darted over me checking for injuries. He held me close to him and could smell his cologne Bvlgari Extreme and thought how the smell suited him. Then I couldn't help it I kissed him or he kissed me or we kissed each other, anyhow we kissed. I couldn't think. One word went through my mind, "WOW!". His hand went into my hair he pulled. It hurt like a bitch. Then I took his in return. He was about to say something. Then I screamed.  
  
"Dylan, Dylan, wake up." It was Natalie. "You're okay it's just a bad dream." I sat there for a moment shaking and out of breath. "I'm going to walk her up to her apartment, Pete."  
  
I shakily got out of the car almost forgetting my purse. Natalie placed her arm around my shoulders and walked me to my small apartment. "Dylan," she said with her concerned mother voice, "If you need anything let me know ok. I might be living with Pete but that doesn't change us or our friendship ok." I nodded in response and fumbled for my key. After dropping it once I opened the door, gave Nat a hug and waved at Pete in the car, saying "I will. After all you are my family." She smiled her dazzling smile and kissed me on the cheek, turned and ran back to the car. I stayed outside and waved till they drove away. Then I tiredly entered my dark apartment.  
  
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I was just starting to come around as I heard the dull thud of a body colliding with the cold damp pavement next to me. My first thought was it was her. I closed my eyes again to try to brace myself for the vision of her body broken like a discarded doll. Before I tried to move I went through a damage assessment. I could feel my feet, legs, arms, fingers. I knew that my spine must be intact as I could feel pain; a hell of a lot of pain. I ascertained that I had dislocated my right shoulder and the upper arm was broken, the one I was laying on, and I was losing a lot of blood through a chest wound that would probably be of sucking variety if the sword had been a bit more either direction. I had been worse off before and probably would again. I forced my self to sit up as sirens wailed in the distance. Looking to the body next to me I let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't my Dylan but that Irish bastard that tried to kill the angel and he was still breathing.  
  
The anger I had got the better of me and my better judgment. Biting my lip hard enough to draw blood I used my good arm and relocated my shoulder. The saltiness of the blood made me ill, my stomach turned and I vomited behind a garbage can, scaring a poor stray tabby. I can say never empty your stomach with a sword stuck through your chest, it's a most unpleasant sensation. The Irishman began to stir. Id the most difficult thing I had to do in my life. I had to remove the sword. I was lucky, not being dead yet. I knew if that madman could get off the ground it would mean my end. I prayed to a god that had long since forsaken me that I would survive as I grasp the blade and attempted to push it out the way it came in. As the scarlet blood flowers blossomed more quickly, soaking my shirt and jacket, the Irishman was on his hands and knees moaning a string of curses about Helen. Somehow I managed to remove the sword and it fell to the ground behind me with a loud clatter. Without a second thought I picked up my sword and with all the strength I could muster, using my left hand I ran him through the same way he had me. I then cautiously knelt in front of his so he could see my face, see who had killed him. Once the light in his eyes had left I did as well.  
  
I didn't know where to go. I knew there were two destinations not far from here that I could get help at. One was a back alley doctor. I had used him before on several occasions the last of which being when I worked for McCadden. Dr. Wong was very discrete, he didn't ask questions and he didn't talk to the police. The second choice and my preference of the moment was Dylan's. I could hear the police sirens closing in the distance. I did a quick calculation and determined that Dylan's would be a better choice due to nearness of location. I knew I had to stop the bleeding fast or I wouldn't make it.  
  
I checked my wallet and found a twenty dollar bill. Hoping that would be enough to get me there I flagged down a taxi. To my amazement the first one stopped and I crawled in. "Where to man? A hospital," he asked looking me over. I pulled out the small pad of paper I carried and wrote down her address. "Ok man but I think a hospital would be a better choice," and with that we started down the neon lit streets.  
  
On the way there the thought that I thought over and over was "The kiss was magnificent. She was magnificent. Why did she kiss me? I knew why I kissed her, she was- no I'm not going to use magnificent again even though she was- she was perfect. I'm usually much more eloquent than this but then again I'm not usually dying in the back of a taxi cab either, I then gave ironic chuckle.  
  
"We here man. Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital? It's a free ride."  
  
I got out and tried to give the man the money. He shook his head no. I suppose I could understand that, it was a bit blood covered and in this day and age where people have god knows what. "Ok consider this a freebie too," he said then sped off. I looked around and tried to assess the situation. I needed to be quiet. Her downstairs neighbors were home and the front door was how they entered the dwelling as well. I looked at the large oak tree that had branches extending towards her balcony. Normally I would thing nothing of jumping up, grabbing a limb and swinging over but not tonight. So I took the normal approach. I used the front door. Locating my handkerchief I grasped the front knob tightly and picked the lock. I fumbled terribly and had to try to twice to get it right, but I managed. I heard the woman in the downstairs apartment say "Did you hear something, Dan?" To which Dan replied, "Nothing Lenore go back to bathing the dog." I breathed a painful sigh of relief, locked the front door as I had found it and made my way up the long flight of stairs. When I reached the top her door was unlocked. I opened it prepared for a fight, but no one was there. She must have forgotten to lock it.  
  
I went to the bathroom and did the only thing I could think of to stop the bleeding, I ran a tub of cold water and took as much ice from Dylan' refrigerator that was possible. I might have broken the ice dispenser. I then removed my bloody garments except for my boxers and gently sank myself into the icy water which was supposed to slow if not stop the bleeding. I shivered and every hair on my body stood on end. Then I fell into a deep sleep. 


	2. 2

OK I own no one. Once again any minor characters you see are probably mine, all mine, no one eles'. I hope you enjoy it. Part 3 is already in the works.  
  
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I trudged up the stairs. I don't think I had ever been so tired in my whole life. I was looking forward to a cold soda, my bunny slippers and my pillow. To my surprise my apartment door was open. I sometimes forgot to lock it but I have never left it standing open. Instinctively I went into defensive mode. I silently crept into my own living room. After today who ever was in my apartment wasn't coming out alive. I was tired and not in the mood for any shit. I looked around and didn't see anyone. I went to the kitchen and noticed something dark and smudge on the freezer door of my side-by-side. I opened the fridge door for some light and realized that the substance on the other door was blood. I took a deep breath to prepare myself for whoever was in wait for me. Then I smelled it- Bvlgari Extreme, rich tobacco and blood. All my muscles were tense waiting. There was nothing, just the sound of the slow drip of the bathroom faucet. The quiet was killing me. I figured we were on my turf so I had nothing to lose. "Come out Come out wherever you are," I called in a playful tone. No answer just silence and the dripping of the faucet.  
  
I assumed that if someone was there he must be gone so I let my guard down and walked to the bathroom in hopes of stopping the drip. As I turned the corner I noticed the bathroom door was slightly ajar and the light was on. I slowly opened the door and saw red, lots of red in various stages of drying and stopped. Once I regained more of my composure I opened the door a bit wider and saw a pile of black cloth on the floor, a man's suit. Opening the door the rest of the way and stepped into the bathroom, I had to in order to see the tub that is situated behind the door. Lying in the pale pink water of my bathtub was the Thin Man, Anthony. I gulped and bent down to him. He was so still and I take back all the times we had described him as pale before, he was absolutely white now. "Anthony" I said softly. I reached out and touched his black hair which was damp with sweat. I ran my hand gently down his face to his carotid artery and felt for a pulse. It was there but very very weak. "Anthony;" I said again a bit louder this time. His eyes fluttered open and closed again. I felt the water and shivered. It was cold. I knew it had to be to stop the bleeding but he had to get out before he died of hypothermia instead of blood loss.  
  
"Anthony," I said lightly slapping his face, "You need to wake up. You need to help me."  
  
He opened his pale blue eyes again and reached out to touch my face. I placed my hand behind his back, higher than the wound and tried to help him sit. His hand went to my hair and I braced myself for the pull. Instead he pulled me close enough to kiss and whispered, "Help me, angel, please."  
  
I let him put his arm around my neck and he tried to use his right arm which was towards the wall to brace himself but couldn't. He screamed in agony and slid back into the water, silent tears streaming down his face. "Broken" he whispered. I knew he was talking about his arm but he was also talking about himself, however he was a determined man. He placed his legs over the edge of the tub and I pulled him out. He didn't stay up right for long and out of the water he shivered almost convulsively.  
  
I gently dried him off the best I could and grabbed the phone in the bedroom. He needed a hospital. As I began to dial the phone he came up behind me and said "No". "But Anthony you need to go to the hospital. I can't help you with injuries like these." His eyes shone intensely as he looked around for an escape. "Okay," I said relenting, "Ill try."  
  
As Angels we have pretty well stocked medicine chest at home. I looked through and found some suture thread and a needle. "This is going to sting." I told him as I threaded the needle. I placed my hand on his chest to try to push the skin there closer together. He placed his hand on mine, then picked it up and kissed it, tiny kisses on the palm and up each of my fingers. How I wanted him to go on but I could see a small trickle of blood emerging from the wound. "Anthony," I said sharply. He looked up at me his eyes sad. "Id love for you to go on but we have to get this taken care of." He sighed and let my hand go. It took seventy-five stitches for both sides. I wrapped his chest in gauze and he lay down on my bed.  
  
I knew he was tired. I was too but his arm needed set. I told him what I was about to do and he shook his head indicating it was alright. I grasped his arm and pulled, then shoved the bone back in place. He didn't make a sound. I didn't have anything for a cast but found an Ace bandage and hoped it would be enough. Soon he was fast asleep. I wasn't sure what I should do. I sat on the bed next to him and stroked his hair. Soon I too was fast asleep.  
  
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I awoke the next morning not quite sure where I was. I heard birds chirping, sun was streaming in the window, and someone was lying snuggled up to my shoulder. I carefully removed the woman and sat up, regretting it. The pain was horrendous. I let a small moan escape. I normally can take a hell of a lot especially during a fight but it's the adrenaline that keeps the pain away. Currently I wasn't pumping the chemical through my body so the pain was intense. I tried to relax and let it pass and it did for the most part. I looked around wondering where I was, and then looked at the woman beside me. She gave a small moan herself and rolled over exposing her beautiful face, it was the angel, Dylan. I must have been in Heaven.  
  
She suddenly opened her eyes and smiled..at me. "Morning," she said. "How are you feeling?" I looked around for something to write on and found nothing. I shrugged to show I was feeling ok but not great. Too bad that shrug pulled the stitches in my chest and made the pain worse. I lay back in the bed. She rolled over and looked at me. "The bandages look ok for now. I'll check and change them after breakfast." The thought of food made my stomach flop. I shook my head "no". "I have to check them silly." I didn't say anything about her misunderstanding. She looked happy. "I'm going to go take a shower and get dressed. You stay there. I have a bottle of Tylenol in the night stand they might help manage the pain."  
  
I heard the shower come on and the phone rang. The answering machine came on "Hi. This is Dylan. I'm not in right now so I'm probably out kicking butt. Leave a message after the beep." Beep went the machine. "Hi Dylan, Its Nat. You seemed pretty down last night. Want to get lunch? We can talk plus I want you to meet Spike. You'll fall in love. Call me."  
  
I cringed; a man named Spike in my opinion wasn't good enough for my angel. She deserved someone with a normal name or at least someone intelligent enough not to call himself Spike. She then pranced into the bedroom wearing a pair of striped boxers and a light pink bra. "Sorry, I forgot to take clothes in the bathroom with me. I'm not use to having men over." I tried to look away but she was so beautiful, perfect smooth skin, her red hair wet, tousled and slightly wavy from the towel she had been drying it with. "Don't gawk." She said laughing. I could feel my face turning bright red with embarrassment. She pulled an Iron Maiden t-shirt over her head and sat on the bed next to me. "I'm sorry," she said softly. I refused to look at her. Her laughter reminded me of the girls through out school, the ones who used to point and laugh at the odd boy who didn't speak. "Anthony." She said and I reluctantly turned to face her. "I shouldn't have laughed. I was uncomfortable." I always seemed to make people feel that way. "I just am not used to being looked at like I am a goddess." Her face was only inches from mine, "An angel" I said softly and leaned in to kiss her. Then the phone rang.  
  
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I felt so bad I didn't mean to hurt him. When I came in he was looking at me as though he was seeing me. He wasn't looking at me like a man who was looking at a semi-naked woman but he was looking at me like he was seeing my soul. I laughed out of nervousness. He took it the wrong way. I should have known he would. Then I apologized and really wanted him to kiss me again. He called me an angel, moved closer, I could feel his breath on my lips, and then the phone rang. Damn it.  
  
I broke away from the kiss ignoring the disappointment in his eyes and answered. "Hello.Oh morning Bos.sure I'll be there..bout half an hour..okay..see you then..bye." It wasn't unusual to have to work on a Saturday and normally I didn't mind since I didn't have a boyfriend but today was different. "I have to go to work in a little bit," I said sadly. He nodded as though he understood and slid down under the blankets. "Are you tired?" Again he nodded. "I'll make you some toast and some tea. I'll try not to be gone too long." I pulled on a pair of jeans, slipped into my old trusty tennis shoes and grabbed my purse and keys. Then I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Kissing him quickly was nearly as good as slow I decided racing for the door. "Bye Anthony," I yelled as I left.  
  
It was weird. I hardly slept last night but I felt refreshed and well great this morning. I supposed it was because I was in love. I was in love. I tried saying it out loud, "I am in Love. Dylan Sanders is in love," I cried racing though town with the top down. I cranked the radio up and sang along with Springsteen to "Glory Days". I was stopped at a light when a car of hot guys pulled up and revved their engine at me. They were cute enough but they didn't even turn my head. I was definitely in love.  
  
I bounced into the office and jumped on the couch in between Natalie and Alex. They both looked at me as though I had beamed down from Mars. "What" I asked.  
  
"You" said Nat, "You're different."  
  
"Am I," I asked as innocently as I could.  
  
"Yes you," said Alex.  
  
"I'm just well rested."  
  
"Who you rested well with is the question of the hour," said Alex smugly. The voice came from the white speaker box on the desk in front of us.  
  
"Good Morning Angels."  
  
"Good Morning, Charlie," replied the three of us in unison.  
  
"Well angels we seem to have a problem. One of the bodies from last night isn't dead."  
  
"What do you mean," asked Nat.  
  
"Nat gave the statement to the police that the two bodies in the alley could be identified as Seamus O'Grady and the assassin known as Anthony or the Thin Man. The police arriving on the scene last night found only one body. That of the Thin Man. He was identified by the sword through his back."  
  
I was feeling confused. Anthony couldn't have been found by the police he was sleeping in my bed, but Seamus didn't die due to being stabbed. "Are they sure," I asked nervously.  
  
"That is what I asked Angels, and they said there was only the body of a man with a sword through his back in the alley."  
  
"Great," said Nat, "Seamus is still alive. That means Dylan is still in danger."  
  
"I'm afraid so girls. I have to go but wanted to let you know you need to continue to watch your backs. Bye Angels."  
  
"Bye Charlie." We said together.  
  
"Can I tell you all something? And you have to promise not to over react." I asked and waited calmly for my friends' to reply. 


	3. 3

(I own no one. I own nothing. I hope you are all enjoying this. Let me know if I should go on. I'm not sure where this is going but I think its going to get dark soon.)  
  
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I lay there in her bed trying to recall the events of the night before. I remembered stopping the member of O'Grady's gang from killing the dark haired one who was known as Alex. I remember hearing Dylan scream and seeing O'Grady himself choking her. I remember the kiss and her taking my hair. I remembered the searing pain in my chest and going over the side of the building but I couldn't remember how I got into her bed.  
  
My arm throbbed worse than my sword injury. I dug around in the night table which was full of interesting trinkets: post cards, rubber bands, paper clips, a small dog with its head on a spring that had a missing eye, a pack of chewing gum, an old cassette tape of Def Leppard that was unwound, condoms in assorted flavors, a small memo pad, assorted ball point pens and the bottle of Tylenol regular strength, I took four and hoped that they would help.  
  
I needed to use the bathroom so I struggled out of bed and hobbled over to the narrow door across the hall. I looked inside and the night before came rushing back, how could it not? My blood was all over. I saw my clothing hanging over the shower and realized that Dylan must have rinsed them out. The floor however was still spotted with blood and I had left large handprints on the door. I started to regret coming here. It wasn't right that I came to her Dr. Wong would have been the better choice. She was sweet to take care of me but she deserved better even if it was a man named Spike. Too bad I was too weak to leave. Instead I crawled back into bed and feel asleep under they soft sheets and blanket that smelled of her.  
  
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They were eyeing me suspiciously even as they agreed they would listen to what I had to say. I smiled and went on talking. "The dead man, the one the police found, that was Seamus."  
  
"Seamus? But Charlie just said." began Nat.  
  
"I know what Charlie just said and I don't know all the details myself but Anthony is alive," I said feeling excited just to be able to say it.  
  
"How do you know that, Dylan," asked Alex suspiciously.  
  
I explained carefully what happened last night after Natalie and Pete dropped me off. They listened as I told them about the open door, the dried blood on the refrigerator, finding Anthony in my bathtub, and taking care of him.  
  
"He's dangerous," Stated Alex simply.  
  
"He saved your life last night and mine too."  
  
"It doesn't change that he tried to kill us before."  
  
"He saved Max.," I retorted. Natalie and Bosley watched us like a tennis match.  
  
"He ripped out my hair and yours too."  
  
"It's what he does. He doesn't do it all the time. He hasn't done it to me so far."  
  
"He hasn't tried to kill you so far either but that doesn't mean he won't." Ok Alex had me there but how could I explain to her that he wasn't like that. That he wouldn't hurt me. He could have easily killed me this morning and snuck out and the police would have thought it was Seamus and never looked for him but he didn't. How could I explain that and have them understand?  
  
"I know you are concerned," I said trying to sound mature, "but I trust him and that has to be enough for you."  
  
"She's falling for the bad guy again," said Alex to Nat over my head.  
  
"Maybe I am but I'm not convinced he is bad." Both of us turned to Nat and Bosley waiting for them to choose.  
  
Bosley spoke first. "I'm ok with you keeping him but if he hurts you he has me to answer to."  
  
Thanks Bos," I said jumping up and throwing my arms around his neck.  
  
"And I want to meet him," he added as an after thought.  
  
"No problem. I don't think he will get going anywhere for awhile. Now the three of us turned to Nat waiting for her reply. Reluctantly she said, "Well as long as he is hurt he shouldn't pose any danger to us. We'll have to decide what to do with him once he is better or at least well enough to be dangerous again."  
  
That was a good enough response for me. I hugged her too. "Thanks, Nat." We all then looked at Alex. "Okay you guys win," she said and smiled "It also answers the question as to who she slept with last night." We all laughed and the tension was gone. I knew that it would take time before they would trust Anthony but time for now is what we had.  
  
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I woke up again and looked at the clock three hours had passed and I heard voices in the other room. I managed to pick out Dylan's, those of two other women, presumably her friends Natalie and Alex, as well as that of a man. I wondered if that was the Spike that Natalie had mentioned. I reached over for the tepid tea that was on the night table and in doing so I knocked it on to the floor with a clatter. The noise brought Dylan hurrying in. "Anthony you are awake." She looked truly happy to see me. No one had ever been truly happy to see me except my mother. I nodded to her and pointed to the floor however Natalie was the one rushing over to clean up the mess I made. I at each of the newcomers and gave her a dirty look. I hadn't wanted her to announce I was there to the world. "Its okay, they just want you to get better. You already know Natalie and Alex." I nodded to each of them. I arched my eyebrow in the direction of the man. "This," she said signaling to the kind looking black man, "is our friend and associate Jimmy Bosley. We all call him Bos." I was confused as I thought Bosley was a white man who resembled the actor Bill Murray. Maybe Bosley was a job title.  
  
"Hey man," he said extending his hand. I reached out grasped it a second and gasp in pain as 'Bos' shook it. "Sorry man." My first instinct was to hurt him but Dylan slipped her small hand into mine so instead I blinked and nodded. Just her touch could make me a better person.  
  
Alex then spoke to me. "You know they mistook Seamus O'Grady's body for yours. How could that have happened?"  
  
I leaned over and dug through Dylan's cluttered drawer locating the memo pad I had seen and several pens as I doubted I would find one that works. I was right none of them did. I then made a writing motion in the air and pointed toward the bathroom. Dylan went and came back with the black fountain pen with gold clip that I always carried. I wrote briefly, "I killed him."  
  
"I assumed that much," said Alex, "but why not try telling us about it."  
  
I wrote, "He woke up. Wasn't dead. Couldn't have him after you. Stabbed him." It was quick and to the point. I looked at Alex. It seemed her approval was the one I lacked. I could understand that after our fight at the mission two years ago, but I had also saved her life on the theater rooftop.  
  
"Ok fine," she said to Dylan. "You can keep Creepy Thin Man." Then to me she said, "Thanks for saving me on the roof." I gave her a nod in reply. "I have to take off Dylan," she kissed her on the cheek; "Jason and I are just going to sit home with a video to night a nice quiet evening. I WILL be back tomorrow to check on you." I got the implied threat in her statement. I also knew she had nothing to worry about.  
  
"Ok I'll see you tomorrow then."  
  
"Bye Nat."  
  
"Bye Alex" they hugged as well. I would never understand all the hugging and kissing they did.  
  
"I'm going to go too. Max, Mama and I have a Clue tournament planned for tonight. It was nice meeting you, man." He said to me. I wrote quickly "Tell Max hello" "Will do, man," he responded. I didn't particularly like him calling me "man" but as long as creepy and thin weren't used I could live with it. He then hugged Dylan too and she gave him a kiss on the cheek and told him good bye. I had been excited this morning when she kissed me good bye, as brief as the kiss had been, but now it seemed she was like that with everyone and my heart sank.  
  
"Hey Dylan," said the thin leggy blond as she sat on the other side of the bed. "Why don't I call Pete, and have him bring Spike over for you to meet. We can help Anthony into the living room and all order pizza and watch TV. There is a Cary Grant film fest on channel 2."  
  
"That sound great doesn't it? I can't wait to meet Spike if he is as cute as you say he is"  
  
"He is. Watch it though. He'll probably jump on you as soon as he gets in the door. He may drool as well but that is just his way."  
  
"Not a problem," said Dylan, "He still sounds cute". I felt puzzled but tried not to let it show.  
  
"Good I'll call Pete and let him know," said Natalie as she stood and went to use the phone in the other room. That left Dylan and me alone.  
  
"Sorry about all the commotion. Do you mind if Natalie and Pete are here?" I shook my head no. She didn't ask about the man called Spike so I assumed she didn't care about my reaction to him. "Do you think you are feeling strong enough? We can make you really comfortable on the couch. If you feel bad just let me know and Ill have them leave." She started to leave the room and I grabbed her with my good hand and pulled her over to me. She looked down at me and touched my hair. I coughed and whispered to her "Thank you". She smiled and leaned towards me, but suddenly Natalie bounced in and said that Pete and Spike were already in the car and would be arriving in a few minutes.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
I thought Anthony did well with everyone. I could tell he was uncomfortable by all of them being there, especially Alex. I was curious as to why he didn't speak. I knew he could. He had said a few words to me since he had been in my apartment. It wasn't the Gettysburg Address but it was a lot for him. I was glad that Natalie had the idea to invite Pete and Spike over. It's not that I didn't want to be alone with Anthony, because I did; I wanted to see if I can get more than three words out of him at a time, but I was also a little bit chicken of having a one sided conversation.  
  
I felt bad that I missed Nat's message completely earlier but I was going to meet Spike. From what she had told me her puppy was a four month old German shepherd with big feet and even bigger ears. I just couldn't understand why Anthony acted weird when Spike was mentioned. Maybe he didn't like dogs. If so he could have written a protest note asking not to have the puppy here while he wasn't feeling well. Nat and I would have understood.  
  
I gave Anthony an extra large Ozzy t-shirt that I had. The picture didn't really suit him but it was the best I could do. We helped Anthony to the couch and gave him the pillows from the bed and tucked a blanket in around him. He didn't complain about our fussing about him. Even though he didn't show it and tried to keep his stoic face I could tell he liked it. I'm under the impression he hadn't had anyone care for him in a long time. Anthony was so long he took up the whole length of the couch. I decided Pete and Nat could have the love seat and I would sit on the floor.  
  
The door bell rang. Nat was busy ordering Pizza. I answered and there stood Pete with Spike in his arms. "Oh my god you are just the cutest," I cried throwing my arms around the puppy. "Thanks Dylan," said Pete as a joke. I smacked him on the arm, "Come on in you two. Nat is ordering pizza; something my house guest has never tried." Pete put down the puppy and it went over to the couch.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
It was difficult for me to get into the living room. The loss of blood made me feel light headed whenever I stood and I had a feeling of vertigo. Sitting up was okay but standing was nearly impossible. Once I was on the couch Dylan brought me a t-shirt to put on. The only good things I can say about it is it was clean, black and fit. The Ozzy fellow on the front wasn't my style at all. Natalie said she would order pizza. I had never tried it before. Dylan handed me a flyer that passed for a menu and asked me what sounded good. I wrote "Whatever you want is fine." She told Nat to, "get the usual".  
  
Then the door bell rang. I heard Dylan gush over Spike. I couldn't see the door from where I was sitting and I hadn't the mobility to turn to look. "Oh my God, you are just the cutest," she said. I inwardly cringed. Suddenly I heard a strange clicking sound on the hardwood floor. Around the corner of the couch bounded a small dog with parts that were way to big for him. It kind of looked like me as a child actually. "Woof" he said and placed his paws on the couch and tried to lick my face. As gently pushed the dog away I got a glimpse of his collar, there written on a bone shaped metal tag was the name, "Spike". I never felt as foolish as I did at that moment.  
  
"Sorry Anthony," said Dylan as she attempted to pull the dog away. It was funny that now I knew Spike was a dog I didn't want him to go. I reached out and rubbed the furry beast behind the ears to show her that the dog was welcome to stay. "I wasn't sure you liked dogs." I shrugged. I wasn't sure that I liked dogs either since I never really had interaction with them. They weren't allowed at the orphanage and the life I led now days wasn't conducive to keeping a pet. "This is Pete," she said introducing me to a tall man with sandy brown hair. "Pete this is Anthony." Pete held out his hand. I reached out with my left instead, I learned after the last time.  
  
"Oh sorry," said Pete switching hands too, "I didn't think about your arm." Dylan had gone into the kitchen with Natalie. "So. Natalie tells me you're an assassin?"  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
I didn't think it would hurt to leave Anthony alone with Pete and Spike so I went into the kitchen where Nat was making iced tea. Ok warm tea it turned out that Anthony had broken my ice dispenser. I was really upset, I loved my ice dispenser, it was one of those things I had seen as a kid and said that I wanted to have when I grew up. Then Nat reminded me if it wasn't for the ice Anthony would have probably bled to death in my bathroom instead of laying on my couch petting her dog. That sort of put things into perspective and I added getting the ice dispenser fix to the To Do List in my head which included cleaning the bathroom and finally kissing the man on my couch.  
  
Pizza wasn't a big success. I should have known from encounters with the Thin Man in the past that neatness was part of who he was. Picking up cheesy gooey pizza wasn't for him. I offered him a knife and fork but he held up his arm that was wrapped in the bandage. Ok that wasn't going to work. He wrote "Soup?" on a piece of paper. Nat, the homemaker she is said that she would get it. I could tell Anthony felt bad about not eating what we were having. I offered him a bite but he covered his mouth. I understood that to mean he didn't think he could keep it down. He ate the soup Natalie made and thanked her in writing. Miss Manner's would never be on his case he thanked everyone with a thank you note.  
  
Once dinner was over we settled in and watched the first of the Cary Grant movies, "Bringing Up Baby". Pete and Natalie were curled up together on the loveseat and I was sitting on the floor next to the couch. Anthony reached down and started petting my hair. It was a weird sensation although not unpleasant. I kept waiting for the pull, but he didn't. He tapped me on the shoulder and sat up. I looked at him and he patted the couch. I sat down and he laid with his head on my lap. I caught Natalie looking at me in surprise and nudged Pete, who just smiled and gave me thumbs up. I rolled my eyes at them and continued watching the movie. Soon I found myself stroking Anthony's hair and him asleep on my lap. 


	4. 4

(Hi I still own know one. Ok I own the Wong family. I always seem to create characters that I don't really like. Anyway this chapter still seems a bit light to me so I'm going to try to go darker. I have also started another story that I hope to have ready to be posted soon.)  
  
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I awoke on the couch. The lights were all out and Natalie and Pete had gone home. It was so hot; it felt as though I was in Hell. After the life I have lived it would have been believable. I tried to get up but was too weak. I tried to remove the damp shirt but it was sticking to my skin. I wanted Dylan. I hurt all over. I coughed and my chest hurt. "Dylan" I said my voice hoarse with disuse. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness I could see that her bedroom door was shut. I mustered all my strength and stood up. The room twisted and turned but I managed to get to the door without falling. I supported myself with the door frame waiting for the dizziness to subside and slid to the floor. "Dylan" I croaked again. This time she stirred. She sat up right in bed and turned on the light. I closed my eyes against the brightness.  
  
"Anthony," she asked, and then spotted me on in the doorway. She hurried to my side and placed her frigid hand against my forehead. "You're burning up." I could hear the concern in her voice. She helped me off the floor and into her bed. Lift your arms. I lifted the left one and she eased the shirt over my head and gently removed it from my right arm. Your stitches have broken and you're bleeding. I think you have an infection". That would explain the fever. I moaned in agony. "I knew I should have taken you to the hospital". I shook my head "no" and it felt like someone took a jackhammer in my skull. She reached for the phone. "Please" I said to her.  
  
She looked at me angrily and hung up the phone. "I already thought I lost you I don't want to lose you again. I have to call for an ambulance."  
  
I motioned for paper and a pencil. She obliged but reluctantly. I wrote down Dr. Wong's name and phone number. Under that I wrote a code that she had to type into the phone. "Who is Dr. Wong," she asked. I was too weak to explain and wrote, "Call him." She picked up the phone and dialed the number I gave her. I could hear the answering machine on the other end pick up. "You have reached Wong Chinese Palace Restaurant. The best Chinese food outside of China since 1978. Our business hours are Monday through Friday 11am-11pm, Saturdays 10am-12am, and Sundays we are closed. If you wish to leave a message do so at the beep".  
  
"It's just the answering machine," she said. I tapped "code" on the paper. She carefully pushed the buttons in the order I had written and a man answered, "Wong number."  
  
"Are you sure I have someone who needs help?"  
  
"No, Just a little joke," I heard Wong say on the other end. He told that joke all the time and always laughed as though it was the funniest thing he ever heard. "You a friend of A's"  
  
I nodded my head to let her know that it was how he identified me. "Yes, he was badly injured and needs help but he won't let me call a doctor."  
  
"I am a doctor and a good one too. Bring him here I make him good as new. I always do. Ha ha I make a rhyme."  
  
"I don't know if I can move him. Can you come here?"  
  
"This doctor makes no house calls. You bring here to restaurant and I help A. He knows how it works."  
  
She agreed and I closed my eyes in relief. "Anthony wake up." I wasn't asleep only resting my eyes. She brought me my pants from the bathroom and handed me another t-shirt. This time it was plain white with no strange men or their names on it. She helped me put it on but I could tell she was angry with me. I was angry with me too. I should have gone to Wong's in the first place.  
  
I always knew she was petite but never more so than when she tried to help me down the stairs to the main door. I was almost a foot taller than she and I think she was supporting more of my weight than I was. We made it to the car where I promptly passed out.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
Nat, Pete and I watched the end of "Bringing up Baby" then "An Affair to Remember", I wanted them to stay longer but they said that Anthony needed his rest. Spike didn't want to leave Anthony but they managed to take the big eared puppy with them. I went into the bathroom and cleaned up the remains of the mess from the night before and went to bed. About 3am I had a dream that someone was calling my name. In my dream I realized it wasn't in my dream but in reality. I woke up and turned on the light next to the bed. There sitting in the doorway was Anthony.  
  
His hair and shirt were soaked with perspiration and his face was flushed and his eyes glassy. I climbed out of bed and went to him. I could feel the heat radiating from him as I came near. He was fine when I left him sleeping on the couch. Now he looked almost as bad as the night before. As I became more awake I noticed the wet of his shirt was in the center of his chest. His stitches had opened. Even with my limited medical training I recognized his fever as a sign of infection. I told him I was going to call an ambulance, that he needed to be taken to the hospital but he wouldn't let me. He instead talked into calling a Dr. Wong, who to me seemed less than professional but seemed to know Anthony rather well.  
  
After some discussion with the so called doctor I loaded Anthony into my car. Getting him down the stairs to the front door was a nightmare. He could barely walk and I was afraid he would fall down the stairs and break his neck before I could get him the help he needed.  
  
We drove down the empty streets of LA into the Chinatown neighborhood. I kept my passenger awake by talking to him. I would glance over periodically to make sure his eyes were still open and blinking. At two am everything was dark, no sign of life anywhere. I found the street and as we rounded the corner the sign on a building came on. It was for Wong's Chinese Palace Restaurant and I stopped the car in front, jumped out and ran to the front door. It was locked. I went back to the car and told Anthony to hold on. His breathing had become very shallow. I went to the back of the restaurant and knocked on the door that said, "employees only". I could hear voices and the door opened. A small grey haired Chinese woman stood there authoritatively eyeing me over. "Is Dr. Wong here," I asked. She turned, said something to someone in Chinese and disappeared leaving the door open. Shortly a balding Chinese man came.  
  
"You bring A," he asked.  
  
"Yes, I can't get him out of the car alone."  
  
"No problem." He too then turned and called out something in Chinese. Two tall, younger men came to the door. "You take them to car. They will help bring him here."  
  
I swallowed hard, hoping Anthony was still alive and led them back to the car. They opened the door. One reached across Anthony' thin body and unbuckled the seat belt. He then helped swing Anthony's legs out side the car and pull him up right. They stood on either side of his and dragged him back to the rear door. I followed them silently.  
  
Once at the rear door they took Anthony inside. I tried to follow but was cut off by Dr. Wong. "No extra people."  
  
"He is my friend."  
  
"Your friend? A has no friends."  
  
I was getting angry by this point I hadn't had a good sleep in two nights, the man I was pretty sure I was in love with was dying, and now a strange little doctor, if that is really what he was, was trying to tell me I wasn't Anthony's friend. "Listen," I said with all the patience I could muster, "I'm going to go in there and be with him whether you like it or not."  
  
He called something in Chinese again and one of the young men came back out. "This is my son Sun-Yu. He will take you back to your car."  
  
"I don't think so." I said angrily. "I'm going to stay with.." I paused not quite sure what to call him I decided to go with what he was called here, "..A and that is that." Sun-Yu grabbed my arm and that was the last straw. I twisted away and spun getting into a defensive posture. The doctor looked impressed.  
  
"Okay," he said with an amused grin, "You fight Sun-Yu. You win you can stay." He nodded in the direction of his son who nodded back and turned to me. Sun-Yu wasted no time attacking. We fought hard. Once he managed to kick me and slam me into the brick wall behind me. He gave me a smile that suggested I was silly girl. That was it. No more playing nice. I attacked. He didn't have a chance. I looked down at his body in the alley behind the restaurant, I looked back at Wong and said, "Ill be in to see A now," and waltzed up to the door.  
  
Wong looked back out into the alley, shook his head and made a clicking sound of disapproval. "You good fighter. Come." I went with him into the building that was lit by dingy yellow light. The place wasn't very clean and I made a mental note never to go there for dinner. He led me down a set of stairs to the basement of the restaurant. When we got to the bottom he unlocked a rough hewn door, surprisingly on the other side it looked as though we stepped into a hospital.  
  
There was a long hallway painted bright white and a pure white tile floor. It reminded me quite a bit of the vault that Corwin had. There were doors on either side of the hall. He took me to one that was at the very end and said, "A's room." I opened the door and there inside was Anthony. Seated at his bedside was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She was also Chinese. She had smooth, golden skin, perfectly straight black hair that didn't seem limp like straight hair often does but full of life, and deep soulful eyes. She made Alex look like a dog, no offense to Spike or to Alex. She sat there holding his hand and stroking his hair. I felt a painful twinge of jealousy.  
  
"Is she a nurse," I asked.  
  
"No she my daughter, but very skilled doctor," replied Wong. Once again he said something in Chinese. She responded in the like. I speak Chinese but I didn't recognize the dialect so I was beginning to get frustrated. The girl stood and walked over to me extending her hand.  
  
"Hello, I am Mingmei."  
  
"Dylan," I said simply. Mingmei's name meant beautiful and smart. I hadn't a clue what Dylan meant, maybe dumb and unattractive? I knew that wasn't true but seeing the woman in front of me stirred many doubts.  
  
"Are you a friend of Anthony's?"  
  
I was a bit surprised she used his name since her father called him "A".  
  
"Yes. Are you?"  
  
"Yes, Anthony and I are very good friends." She stressed the "very good", and I could only wonder how good that was. "Father is prepping for surgery. I did the preliminary and I can tell you it doesn't look good. He has had sever internal bleeding and infection has set in due to his broken arm. I have already put a cast on it," she said pulling back the blanket to show me. "He also needs lots of blood. Why didn't you bring him here sooner," she asked me kindly but I could see the accusation in her eyes.  
  
"He wouldn't let me call anyone," I was feeling a bit ashamed.  
  
"That sound like my Anthony. He can be very stubborn. Father and I will fix him up. You may sit with him until we take him to our OP." With that she left me alone in the middle of the bright white room. I went over and sat in the chair next to his bed, pulled out my cell phone and called Natalie to tell her what was happening." 


	5. 5

(Okay this chapter is a bit different. I have some parts from Natalie's POV. Well Anthony is unconscious and I thought another POV would be good here. Once again no one is mine except for the Wong's)  
  
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I heard voices talking around me as I faded in and out with the pain. Some said things I didn't understand, some I understood but didn't quite comprehend. I felt a cool hand tenderly stroking my brow, whispering softly. I recognized it I just couldn't place it. If I had I would have shoved it away and called for Wong. Then I heard Her voice. It sounded tired and concerned. I opened my eyes but the brightness of the room made my head ache. I could feel the hand from stop stroking my hair and through the haze of my slightly parted eyelids I could make out a hand turning up the drip on whatever it was that was being pumped into my system. As I started to fade back to black I could make out her voice saying, "I'm here Anthony." I knew I would be fine for I had an angel watching over me.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
Dylan called me at 3am. She sounded as my mom would have said, "out of sorts". She started rambling about a fever and infection and something about Chinese food. I told her to hold on a second and climbed out of bed so I wouldn't disturb Pete. Spike followed me into the living room where I sat and curled my legs up under me on the couch. "Dylan, okay start over from the beginning," I told her in my best calm-down voice. She told me about how she woke up to find Anthony very ill, how she contacted a suspicious doctor named Wong for him and they were now in the basement of a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown and Anthony was about to be taken in for surgery. She asked me to call Alex and meet her there. I agreed and hung up.  
  
I crept into the bedroom, grabbed some clothes, got dressed and called Alex. She wasn't too happy to be woken up at 3am either. I didn't tell her much I just told her to meet me at Wong's Chinese Palace Restaurant and gave her the address Dylan had given me. I quickly scribbled a note for Pete and drove to the restaurant/hospital.  
  
I made it to the location just after Alex. I spotted her car and walked over and tapped on the window. She startled awake and rolled down the window. "So what's going on," she asked. I explained what Dylan told me and said we had to go to the back door. Entering the rat infested alley my angel sense took lead and I said, "I don't have a good feeling about this."  
  
"Me either. Why didn't Dylan just call 9-11?"  
  
"I guess we have to knock to find out," I said knocking on the door that was only for employees. A young man answered the door.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"Hi, I'm looking for my friends."  
  
"Don't know you and don't know your friends," said the young man. Alex looked and me and I at her. She had seen the same thing I did. The young man was sporting the tread mark of Dylan's Converse All-Stars on his left cheek, size 5.  
  
"I think you know our friend rather well from the look of your face," said Alex with a smirk. The man reached up and rubbed his cheek saying something Chinese. Alex recognized the dialect and said something back to him. Then he attacked.  
  
I let Alex handle it alone. She did great and when she was done he had a print from her Manolo Blahnik boots on the other cheek. While he was unconscious in the alley we went on inside. "Dylan said something about a stairway to the basement." We looked around the stairs. Both Alex and I were on alert. She didn't know what we were getting into any better than I did and if our greeting was an indication we were ready to take it on.  
  
At the bottom of the steps was a door of old wood boards. Alex and I exchanged glances and prepared ourselves for an attack. When we opened the door we were surprised. "Wow, did we just walk into to Corwin's mainframe vault?"  
  
"Talk about your state of the art medical facility," said Alex peering into one of the rooms. "Most hospitals don't have a money for this kind of equipment. Last time I saw something like this I did consulting for the CDC in Atlanta."  
  
We lurked down the hall and suddenly a small bald Chinese man appeared. "Hey who are you two?" He yelled. Alex had him pinned with great speed. "Where are our friends?"  
  
"Who?" asked the little man.  
  
"Dylan and Anthony." Alex for once didn't call him Creepy Thin Man, I was impressed. "The Creepy Thin Man," she said stressing her point. Oh well I suppose he will always be Creepy Thin Man to her.  
  
In a strained voice he said, "I was just going there." Alex led him where he was going, a room at the end of the long hallway.  
  
"Miss, please tell your friends to let me go."  
  
Just then Dylan raised her head from the empty bed and nodded in our direction. Alex let the man go and we went to her side. Hugs were given all around. "You tell people about me?" the man asked.  
  
"They are my friends, they are 'A's' friends. They would want to be here giving him support;" she told him. "This is Doctor Wong."  
  
"He need support now," said Dr. Wong. "It not going too well. Mingmei make him better. She have tiny hands better for small work. Will be long time before the surgery is done. You should go home." We could tell Dylan was reluctant to leave, wherever we were but we convinced her it was better. She looked tired and older than she was. We promised her she could come back in the morning and she agreed to leave with us.  
  
I took her in my car and Alex followed me to Dylan's. Dylan didn't say anything the whole ride home. She definitely wasn't herself. I think if Alex or I had any doubts about her feelings for Creepy Thin Man.great Alex has me doing it again.Anthony, they were lost the moment we saw her sitting next to the bed at the Chinese restaurant.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
I am so grateful to have friends like Nat and Alex. They really were there for me tonight. I know I should thank them more but I keep thinking about that Mingmei. "Yes, Anthony and I are very good friends." Who was she to him? As far as I could tell Anthony had always been a loner. I had a bad feeling about Dr. Wong and his associates, but what could I do. Anthony seemed to trust them more than a regular hospital so if they could make him better so be it.  
  
Nat gave me a ride home promising that we would pick up my car the next morning when we stopped to visit Anthony. Alex followed behind us in her car. When we got to my place I invited them in for coffee and gave them more info on the situation. "You guy want to come in for some coffee?"  
  
"I certainly do. We still have to be at the office in about 4 hours and if I fall asleep now ill never wake up," said Alex.  
  
"I'll take some too," said Nat. I went into the kitchen and started up Mr. Coffee. "Thanks you guys for meeting me, especially you Alex. I know that you don't like Anthony very much." She came over and put her arm around me.  
  
"I like him if you like him Dylan. I'm willing to trust you on this. You were right yesterday when you said he saved both our lives. He did. And like Jason told me, Cre. I mean Anthony had to trust you as well to come to you for help. Plus you are like the sister I never had. You too Nat; I'd do anything for the two of you, including kicking some Chinese guys butt out behind a restaurant with a hidden state of the art medical facility in the middle of the night." Even I had to laugh at that.  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Yeah same guy whose butt you obviously kicked earlier."  
  
"Poor Sun-Yu," I said and we all laughed. After the last couple days it felt good just to laugh with my friends. "But tell me about the state of the art medical facility."  
  
Alex got comfortable on the love seat which was occupied just few hours before by Pete and Nat. I sighed as I remember how quiet and strange it had been to watch old movies with my assassin on my lap, and how quickly it changed in just a few short hours.  
  
"Well after I kicked Lung-Fu's butt," started Alex  
  
"That was Sun-Yu," corrected Nat.  
  
Alex gave her a dirty look and continued. "We went into the restaurant. We didn't see anyone else, Nat told me that you said there were stairs to the basement and we found those. We went down and we were in the hospital like area. I looked into some of the rooms and I don't know what they are doing there but that isn't your typical back alley illegal doctor's office type operation. They had very expensive centrifuges, protective suits, electron microscopes, the works.  
  
"Dylan," said Nat, "did you get any idea what they do there?"  
  
"No. I was pretty much in a daze. I didn't see anything but the room you found me in and Dr. Wong's daughter Mingmei. I said saying the daughter's name in contempt.  
  
"Did you say Wong Mingmei," asked Alex.  
  
"Why," said Nat and I in unison. I was getting tired of the unison stuff.  
  
"Who is she," I asked.  
  
"Wong Mingmei which is the correct way to say her name, you know the whole last name first, anyway she is a biochemical genius out of China. She has Ph.D's in molecular biology, virology, organic chemistry and is a medical doctor, all before the age of twenty two. Rumor has it that she used to do odd side jobs like sell biological agents- deadly biological agents to North Korea. When the Chinese government found out her execution was ordered. She was never found."  
  
"And now she is working in an underground facility in Chinatown." Alex nodded at me. "So what is she doing with all that equipment?"  
  
"I suspect she is probably doing what she was doing in China only now is using the US as her base of operations. We should find out exactly what she is doing and if need be stop her."  
  
"She said she was a very good friend of Anthony's," I told them and explain what I had seen when I arrived. "She is gorgeous."  
  
"She might be but she isn't you Dylan and you are definitely prettier than her any day,"  
  
"Alex is right. She may be physically prettier than you but you are a better package." I smiled and said "Anyone want another cup of coffee?" 


	6. 6

(Ok I'm going to use this for a few clarifications, I hope you don't mind. I hope to check the spelling better this time. I have a new keyboard and they blasted keys are hard. It's like lifting weights with your finger tips. Ouch! So I caught some missing S's etc. I'll probably go back later and clean up the last 2 chapters. Someone mentioned voice spacing,. Thanks to everyone for being a great audience. Oh yeah I own no one yada, yada.)  
  
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My mind felt fuzzy. I looked around and didn't recognize where I was. There was an IV in my arm, I could hear a heart monitors steady beep beep beep, I had tubes down my nose and throat. I tried to relax so I wouldn't choke. I spotted a woman with black hair. My first thought was that she was Dylan's friend Alex, but as she turned I recognized the woman. It was then that I started choking.  
  
"Anthony, I see you're awake," she said coming towards me. "Cough and I'll remove the tubes." I did as I was told and she pulled out the tubing. She sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch my hair. I pulled away. She didn't look at all offended as I had hoped. I hadn't seen Mingmei in over five years and I was not excited to see her now. I had been to her father for help numerous times and it had always been my understanding that he had disowned his treacherous daughter. I didn't blame him. I could only wonder why she was here and why Dylan wasn't. I looked around the stark white colorless room.  
  
"What are you looking for, my love?" When I didn't respond she asked, "Do you want some paper?" To that I nodded yes. She went over to a small white cabinet that hung about the sink in the far corner of the room and brought me what appeared to be a prescription pad and a pen.  
  
"Dylan," I asked.  
  
"Oh the little red head? Father said she went home sometime last night with her friends. She said she was your friend. Since when does my lone ranger have friends," she asked with a laugh. I turned away from her. She placed two fingers under my chin and turned my face back to hers, "She isn't your type Anthony. You never went for cute usually for sexy."  
  
I picked up the pen again and wrote. "I suppose my tastes have changed."  
  
"No, I don't think so. I think you just forgot what you like. Once you are better I'll remind you."  
  
I simply wrote, "You never think." That had the desired effect and she started to leave the room but before she left she said to me, "Maybe you should think about who controls your pain medication." Then she left slamming the door behind her.  
  
I had been working for a warlord near the Mongolian border just north of the Great Wall. It was to be a simple job I was to go in and assassinate a ministry official for the province who was trying to stop the warlords plans for unlimited opium trade through the region. The minister wasn't an honorable man himself. He was definitely a capitalist in the middle of communist China. Minister Tan had his hand in two large companies in his region; one made pharmaceuticals, the other arms. Both of the businesses were quite lucrative however Tan made most of his money through the black- market. He supplied weaponry to the Taliban in Afghanistan in the late 90's, supported the crazy Japanese man with the sarin that was used in the Japanese subway system, and made deals with various other terror organizations through out the world. To me it was better that the warlord get his opium than the Minister continue his illegal operations- the lesser of the two evils if you will.  
  
I met Mingmei quite by accident. It was in the hotel bar where I had gotten a room to stay. I was mesmerized from the moment I saw her. She was exotic and reminded me of a kitten. Little did I realize at the time that she was an employee in Tan's pharmaceutical company. She didn't seem to mind my idiosyncrasies and most women find them to be-- disturbing. I was amazed and honored that such a woman could be attracted to a man like me. We had a wonderful three weeks together; little did I know that she knew my purpose of being in Xian-Zhou.  
  
She set me up. She killed Minister Tan and let the authorities think I did it. She gave them the date and time that I was to kill the Minister, from my schedule, which she must have taken from me while I was either asleep or in the shower. When I went Tan was already dead and the police were after me. I barely got out of there with out being arrested, escaping over the Mongolian border and riding a Bactrian camel to Ulan-Bator.  
  
It was a coincidence that Wong was her father. I had come to him through the advice of a business associate after an unfortunate incident. I had a bullet in my shoulder and it wasn't something I could just stroll into an ER for without their being a lot of questions and police involved. Wong never asked how it happened he just removed the bullet. After the removal we went to his office to discuss payment and on his desk was a picture of his daughter. I inquired who the young woman was. He readily told me of her selling biological and chemical weapon technology to North Korea and that he didn't approve so he disowned her. So the question of the hour was why was the lovely Mingmei here?  
  
The door opened and Dr. Wong came in. He told someone to bring me some ice chips and the came over to the bed. "You look much better now than when your friend bring you here. You heal quick. Hard to believe you were knocking on deaths door last night. Looks like Death didn't open it. Ha ha I made a funny again." I said nothing just looked him over, there was very little of him in Mingmei. "Still the quiet one I respect that but you upset Ming. She is very very angry. I know you and my daughter very close friends." I understood what he was implying by the use of the words very close. Mingmei herself did that as well. I picked up my paper and wrote "No."  
  
"Mingmei tells different story. Yes, I know what she did. She was a different person then. She loves you."  
  
I narrowed my eyes skeptically. It could be possible that she did but it didn't matter to me anymore. It might have before I met Dylan. Dylan who took me in without any complaint although I tried to, at one time, kill her and her friends. Mingmei and she were as different as night and day. I guess it would be safe to say it was the difference between an angel and the devil.  
  
Soon Mingmei entered with the ice. "I think he will behave," said her father and left us alone.  
  
"I didn't want to hurt you but I wanted the satisfaction of killing the Minister. I called the police because back then I was out to save my own skin," as she said skin she purposely exposed more thigh than was necessary. "I missed you Anthony. I have wondered where my strong quiet man had gone."  
  
I wrote nothing and gave her no indication that I even heard her. "I want you to know I am sorry. If I had the chance to change what happed I would."  
  
I'll give her the fact she was charming but it wasn't working this time. "I need you. I can always use a good man in my operation that doesn't worry about law and order. Father doesn't understand my work, but you do. I am an assassin too. Only my tools are a lot smaller than most use and much harder to see, once I start an assassination attempt I can stop it as well with the cure. I can be the brains and you can be the brawn all you have to do is trade in your sword for a hypodermic needle or a hypo-spray, depending on the target of course."  
  
I looked at the woman half seated on my bed and couldn't find what I had ever seen in her. Her beauty had faded due to the ugliness within her. I had the idea if I agreed to become part of her operation I would be selling me soul and I didn't want to lose it again not when I had just found it. She must have felt my hesitation because she said, "I'll give you time to think about it. Just know that you should think quick or I may give you an incentive"  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
Around 9am I awoke to the sound of a telephone ringing. "Damn," I said looking at the clock and answering the phone, "Hello?"  
  
"Hey Dylan, where are you girl? No one showed up this morning and no on answers at Natalie's or Alex's," said Bosley on the other end of the line.  
  
I looked around the night before coming back to me. Alex was asleep on the love seat and Nat was curled up on the other end of the couch. How she could make herself so small with her long legs was beyond me. "Nat and Alex are here. We sort of got involved in something last night. Can you tell Charlie that we are sorry and promise to be there tomorrow?"  
  
"Will do," said Bos, but as I heard him hanging up I heard him mumble, "Why is it that I am the only one who ever shows up around here?"  
  
I reached over and shook Nat gently. "Get off me Spike," she sleepily said and brushed my hand away.  
  
"Nat, Its Dylan, wake up. We fell asleep." Nat went on snoring but Alex heard me and woke.  
  
"What time is it," asked Alex.  
  
"Nine am."  
  
"We're late for work," she said jumping up looking for her shoes.  
  
"Don't worry. I already talked to Bos. He said he'd let Charlie know something has come up"  
  
"How are you doing this morning," she asked me concerned.  
  
"I'm alright I guess. Worried too. I slept like a rock though."  
  
"I did too and well, look at Nat." I looked at Nat. She was snoring rather loudly at this point. "Shall I wake her?"  
  
"I tried. No luck."  
  
"Watch this," she said and leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Suddenly Nat shot up and yelled, "I really won?"  
  
Nat looked around and realized she wasn't wherever she was dreaming. "Alex? What time is it?"  
  
"We already covered this Nat. You got to wake up to be on the ball," I said laughing. "But to answer you question it a little after 9."  
  
"Charlie!"  
  
"All taken care of," I told her.  
  
"So how are you feeling this morning," she asked me. That was the question of the moment I guess. I felt fine, anxious, jealous, worried, and happy all at once; I was a big ball of emotion, but I smiled and told her the same thing I told Alex a few minutes earlier "Oh I almost forgot," said Nat straightening her hair with her finger tips, "Pete had to go to work early today and I was supposed to walk the puppy. I better get going," she slid her feet into her shoes, grabbed her purse, "I wish I could come with you Dylan. If you two have any problems give me a call and I'll be right there, and if Anthony is awake give him my love," she gave both Alex and me and big hug and ran down the stairs.  
  
"So," said Alex turning to me, "do you want to go to Chinatown?"  
  
I looked at her surprised. "Don't you want to run home first and get cleaned up," I asked. "You're a mess."  
  
"Why bother, we will probably just have to kick Fond-du's butt again," she said looking in the mirror and rubbing a dirt smudge from her cheek.  
  
"His name was Sun-Yu," I said laughing and grabbing my things to leave. 


	7. 7

(Hi all!I own no one; yes, yes I know I own the Wongs. I am not a virologist so I'm sure my science is fantastical but it works in my little extension of the Charlie's Angels world.)  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
We left the house, hopped in the car and Alex put the top down. It was a beautiful autumn California day, the air was warm but not overly hot, the sky was a crystal clear blue. I slid in a mix CD I had gotten from Max and we started singing along to "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel. When we got within five miles of Chinatown the way was blocked by police cars and the officers were working hard to divert traffic around another direction. As we reached the designated turn around point Alex yelled, "Hey." The officer turned our way. "What's going on?"  
  
"I can't tell you exactly but this whole area is being quarantined. My understanding is a chemical truck over turned but hey, I'm not high enough for anyone to tell me anything," said the officer irritated. Alex looked at me and I knew what she was thinking so as she turned down the detour I called Bosley.  
  
"Hey Bos, It me."  
  
"Hey Dylan, what's up?"  
  
"That's what we were hoping you could tell us. Can you check the traffic reports and see if you can find any information about an over turned chemical truck?"  
  
"Sure why?"  
  
"They are rerouting traffic and said that was the problem but Alex and I have a feeling that isn't the case."  
  
"Sure I'll check into it. I'll call you back when I know more."  
  
"Thanks Bosley."  
  
"No prob," he said hanging up.  
  
"Bos agreed to check he'll call us back when he knows something."  
  
"Good, and its only another few miles to the restaurant."  
  
We entered Chinatown about ten thirty. Funny how it looked completely different in the daylight with people out milling about, walking their dogs, shopping, just going about their daily business. I saw my car and it was being towed. "Shit! I must have parked in a no parking zone last night and not realized it."  
  
Alex stopped the car and I ran over to mine. "You cant take my car."  
  
"Can and will," said the massive tow truck driver. He was a large man, his gut hung over his waist band of his jeans, his white polo shirt with his name and the name of his towing firm embroidered on it was yellow from wear and perspiration stains and looked like he had heard them all.  
  
"Look I wasn't in any condition to drive last night and my friend," I said motioning to Alex who gave him a fluttery wave and a flirty look, "gave me a ride home." He looked at Alex who was making eyes at him then back at me. "Come on don't I get a little slack for being responsible and not driving home drunk?" Ok I lied but I didn't need my car towed.  
  
"Yeah okay," he said and lowered my car back to the street. He unhooked the wench and set my baby free, then sauntered, yes, he sauntered there is no other way to describe how he was walking, over to Alex's car. "Here sweet thang, if you, or your friend, "he hastily added me onto it, "ever need help, blown tire, your battery is dead or something, give me a call." He reached his thick fingered hand into the car holding a business card between his index and middle finger like he was a suave James bond type.  
  
Alex took the card and stuck it in her cleavage, then patted it and said, "I will and I'll keep your card in a safe place." With that she pulled up and parked right in front of mine in the no parking zone." He gawked at her boldness but she blew him a little kiss and he hopped in his tow truck and drove off.  
  
"Ewww, how could you stand to do that?"  
  
"Easy, I just imagined he was someone else," she said laughing.  
  
"Come on," and we walked over to Wong's Chinese Palace Restaurant. "So front door," I asked looking at the busy eatery, "or rear?"  
  
"Let's go in the front way and see where that gets us."  
  
Inside of the main restaurant looked much nicer than the back kitchen area we had seen the night before. I was your standard Chinese restaurant, decorated with black wooden tables and chairs, red upholstery a bit of rattan and lots of dragons in gold. I nudged Alex with my elbow and shook my head in the direction of a table in the back corner.  
  
"Hey it's Kung-Fu,"  
  
I rolled my eyes, "His name is Sun-Yu, but that isn't who I mean. Isn't that man in the corner Fahid Mahubabi?"  
  
She looked again. "Let's take a seat." We slid into a booth behind a small cherry tree where we could see but not be seen. Alex glanced back over, "You know I think you are right. What is a Indonesian mobster doing in a dirty little Chinese restaurant like this?" Just then my cell phone rang.  
  
"Hello? Oh Hey Bos."  
  
"I got that info you wanted. You ready?"  
  
"Yes what did you find out?"  
  
"There was an overturned chemical truck."  
  
"Oh there was." I said loud enough for Alex to hear.  
  
"Yeah but you ought to hear what it was carrying."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Apparently normal Aluminum Chloride but the police found several viral samples and one was broken. They keep expanding the quarantine radius. Right now it's four miles any direction from the accident site. Charlie's source tells me that they plan on stopping the quarantine five miles out."  
  
"Thanks for the info, Bos." I hung up and was about to tell Alex when our waiter arrived.  
  
"You two," Sun-Yu said.  
  
"We're just here for lunch, two bowls of won-ton soup and two egg rolls; do you want egg rolls, Dylan?"  
  
"Egg rolls would be good. And fortune cookies."  
  
"And tea."  
  
Sun-Yu looked anxious but took the order. When he left I told Alex what Bosley had said. "Viral containers, and a quarantine as far as Chinatown," she said thoughtfully.  
  
"I think I know what it is." Before I could finish my thought Mingmei was at our table. She looked sad and tired but just as pretty as before.  
  
"Miss Dylan," she said then introduced herself to Alex. Alex shook her hand. "My brother told me that you were here. I wanted to tell you myself. My father could do it but he is quite upset himself about the whole situation."  
  
I felt confused, "what situation?"  
  
"There were complications last night." Mingmei's bottom lip quivered. "I did what I could to help Anthony. The internal bleeding was so severe and ..." she paused.  
  
"What are you telling me," I asked loudly but I didn't care who heard.  
  
"Anthony died at twenty two minutes after four."  
  
"No, No, No," I repeated over and over as she continued. "If he had been brought here sooner, perhaps I could have helped him," she said and quickly added, "I'm not saying it is your fault."  
  
I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I refused to cry in front of Mingmei. "I feel your loss, Dylan," she said as if we were old friends as she placed her hand on my shoulder. "I loved him too."  
  
I shrugged her off angrily. "I want to see him."  
  
"You can't," she said calmly.  
  
Alex who had been quiet through out our exchange said, "Why can't she?"  
  
"Unfortunately due to the nature of Father's medical business we have to dispose of any bodies right after they expire."  
  
"Dispose of them? Where do you dispose of them? Take them to the dump?" My voice was attracting attention of those around us including Fahid Mahubabi.  
  
"Please Ms Dylan, calm down. They are left on the doorstep of the morgue or a hospital. I don't know where he was taken but his body is someplace safe."  
  
I didn't wait for Mingmei to say anything else; I didn't wait for Alex either. I jumped up and left the table and ran out the door to my car. I breathed a small sigh of relief that the tow truck driver didn't return and tow it just because I wasn't Alex. I got into my car and drove off. I wasn't sure where I was going but I had to get away from the Chinese restaurant.  
  
*****  
  
I must have slept after Mingmei left me. I felt pretty good actually and managed to eat the bowl of cold cream of wheat that was left for me. It tasted awful but it took care of the hunger. I looked around the room and for a way out. There were no windows so I would have to go through the door. I knew I wasn't better but I didn't want to stay anywhere Mingmei was, it was too dangerous.  
  
I unhooked my IV and tried to get out of bed. I was much weaker than I thought I was. I lay back down and closed my eyes. When I opened them Dr. Wong was standing at my bedside.  
  
"You removed your IV. Why?"  
  
Reaching over to the small table to my right I grabbed my notepad and pen. "Want to leave."  
  
"Ah but you can't leave until better. Mingmei will say when that is."  
  
"You're my doctor. I want to leave."  
  
"I know I never stop you before but before you never so badly hurt. You need time to rest. You receive good care here and be good as new. But I must be going. I'll check on you later," he said reattaching my IV.  
  
He left the door open and I heard voices in the hall. "So Dr. Wong, do you think it went well?" The voice was that of a man and tinted with an unfamiliar accent.  
  
"I don't know that is my daughter's expertise."  
  
"Yes, your daughter. She was upstairs with a young woman who was making quite a scene. I really don't need attention drawn to the fact I am here or what I am doing here. So far I have not been very impressed with your operation."  
  
"I am so sorry sir, but once again I am just a medical doctor, the 'operation' as you call it is hers but I will let her know of your concerns."  
  
Then I heard Mingmei. "I hear your concerns and the woman upstairs is gone. I'm sorry for the commotion but the plan has worked and is working beautifully. I have just heard that it is perfectly contained and the subject can't pass it on outside the zone. Once the bugs are out of the zone which is five miles, approximately from the sender virus, which is the original one I coded, they quit multiplying."  
  
"How much will this cost me?"  
  
"For you Mr. Mahubabi, only ten million. You were a good customer in the past so consider it a discount deal."  
  
"And the cure?"  
  
"The cure is priceless. It is sold in single serving doses for a million a capsule."  
  
"That is robbery!"  
  
"And what you are committing is murder. Yes, I'm supplying the weapon but you will be the one pulling the trigger."  
  
I moved wrong and started to lose my pen. As I reached for it to stop it from falling on the floor I bumped the cereal bowl off instead. It landed with a clatter. "Some silent assassin I was", I said berating myself in my mind.  
  
"Who else is here," yelled Mahubabi.  
  
"Just an associate. He won't be a problem." said Mingmei and I heard her footsteps coming toward my room. 


	8. 8

*-*-*-*-*  
  
I drove and drove. I had no destination. I could still hear Mingmei's words echoing in my ears, "There were complications last night...Anthony died....I'm not saying it's your fault." He couldn't be dead, if he was, was it my fault? I knew I should have taken him to the hospital when I found him in my bathtub. He asked me not to, for him the looking in his eyes was practically begging. Maybe I didn't think. I let me emotions get the better of me. I then realized I wasn't thinking currently either; racing away from my friends, people who I should have been able to turn to. So i pulled over wiped the warm moisture of my tears away and called Alex. I wanted her to know that I was okay. I called her cell and there was no answer. I left a message but then realized I had left her in Wong's restaurant and imagined any thing bad that could happen to her there. I then called Nat. She picked up on the first ring. "Nat, Its me."  
  
"Dylan where are you? Alex said you ran out on her."  
  
"I....is she there?"  
  
"She was, she just left. Alex told me about Anthony."  
  
I had been doing fine until she brought him up. I had shoved the though of him to the back of my mind for a moment so i could try to remember the thought I had before Mingmei interrupted. Now I started softly crying. Not in sorrow but anger. "It was my fault. If I had taken him to the hospital this wouldn't have happened."  
  
"Dylan, if its your fault its also, my fault, and Pete's and Alex's. We didn't make you take him the hospital either. Come to the office. Alex is checking out John Does in morgues all over town."  
  
"I'll be right there," I said looking around, "as soon as I figure out where I am." I wasn't sure if I had driven north, east or south, I was sure I didn't go west because if so I would have been half way to Hawaii by now with the fish of the Pacific swimming in my windows. I turned the car around and followed the signs back to LA. It didn't take me long once i hit the city limits to arrive at the office despite the chemical spill detours. The chemical spill, I had to tell them about my theory on that.  
  
I approached the door and ran my fingers along the engraving of the brass plaque next to the door. I swallowed hard to keep my emotions under control and walked in. Nat and Bosley were on the couch talking. "Hi guys." I said happily.  
  
"Dylan," said Nat as she practically jumped off the couch and threw her arms around me. "How are you doing?"  
  
"I'm good."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. Have you heard from Alex?"  
  
"Right here," said Alex appearing from the foyer. "We defiantly need to talk, Dylan."  
  
"Okay but before you start I've got to tell you something." Nat and Alex looked at each other then at Bosley. Alex sat down between the two of them while I leaned against the heavy desk at the front of the room. "I don't know how much Alex told you about what happened at Wong's."  
  
"I just told about Mingmei." At this point I hated Mingmei's name so much just hearing it made me want to throw the expensive vase on the desk out the window, it happened to be a Ming.  
  
"OK then you didn't mention an international arms dealer slash man with very close ties to various terror groups named Fahid Mahubabi having lunch at Chinese restaurant with a state of the art medical facility in the basement. And the owner of said Chinese restaurants daughter having degrees in Biology, chemistry and is a possible arms dealer herself..."  
  
Then Alex interjected, "And at the same time a truck with Aluminum Chloride and several vials of viruses over turns quarantining and entire area."  
  
"That means," said Nat excitedly, "That it wasn't an accident that the truck over turned it was maybe a test. See how effective the virus is."  
  
"Bingo"  
  
"Wow you girls are good," exclaimed Bosley.  
  
"I don't know about you guys," I said to my three colleagues, "but I want to take down Mingmei." They all were in agreement.  
  
"Dylan," said Alex softly, "We really do need to talk."  
  
"Not about that. Not right now."  
  
"Okay, are you sure?"  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
"It might make you feel better and give you a little more incentive to take the bitch down."  
  
"Fine, tell me."  
  
"None of the John Does I checked out today were Anthony. Either they disposed of the body in an illegal manner."  
  
"Which wouldn't surprise me."  
  
"Or," continued Alex, "he isn't dead."  
  
Mingmei wiggled into my room. "You knocked down your breakfast. Father," she called, "can't you bring A, some toast and tea? He will get it. I'm a bit busy with a client but I am sure you know that." She sat on the edge of my bed and took my hand, "Since you know that I suppose I should ask you for your decision. Will you come to work for me? I know we haven't discussed payment but trust me when I say the finer things in life won't be a problem for you."  
  
I wrote a single word on a piece of paper. She took it from me not looking at it. "Before I read this I want you to know that I saw your friend Dylan."  
  
I looked up at her in surprise. "She told me that you ruined her life since you came to her injured. She said she didn't trust you and she never wants to see you again. She really was quite upset."  
  
I wrote, "I don't believe you."  
  
"She asked me to give you this." Dangling from her fingers was the medallion she had taken from me at the Coal Bowl only a few days before. I reached out to take it with my good arm but Mingmei pulled it out of my reach. "Are you sure you want me to look at your answer?"  
  
I didn't acknowledge her. My mind was whirling as I thought over my time with Dylan. I thought she enjoyed being with me. I remembered lying with my head in her lap as she stroked my hair, watching Cary Grant chase the Leopard. I remembered her concern when she found me in the door burning up with fever. May it was true and she decided taking in a killer like me wasn't worth it. I picked up my pen again and wrote, "I'll take the job."  
  
"Good," she said slipping my medallion around her slender neck. "I think it suits me don't you?" With that she walked out of the room shutting the door on me and my thoughts of how Dylan played with my heart. I actually thought I was in love with the angel. I thought she might love me in return, how silly was that. I may have attracted women, but normally once i pulled their hair they were gone. Dylan was different I knew that from the first fight outside Corwin's in the alley, the way she moved, her coppery red hair in the street lamps, then on the roof the night of my fall. I thought of Mingmei having my necklace and decided why not let her have it I didn't love her either but I didn't want the necklace back.  
  
It took us a day to plot our takedown of Mingmei and her virus wielding crime family. Nat was going in as the leader of a new organization who wanted to threaten the French because his son was in a prison in Paris. Once inside she was to get as much information as she could about Mingmei then we would just have to bring in the police. Easy enough; you would think that just having a sophisticated lab in your basement would be enough but without proof of what they were using it for the lab itself wouldn't be enough to have them arrested.  
  
"Ok Nat, you look great. Remember you are Sheik Abduhla Fadil and you had heard about a new virus that she came up with." Alex said into the microphone. Nat and I were wearing the molar mikes and Nat had a very tiny micro-camera in her staff.  
  
Nat glanced back at the van in which concealed Alex and Bosley. "I feel like a shepherd from a Nativity play in Sunday school."  
  
"You look more like one of the three wise men. I," I said dramatically waving my hand down in front of my costume, "look like a shepherd. I envy you playing the sheik."  
  
"Ok ladies," came Alex's voice. "Dylan you are his aide Ahmed Hakan."  
  
"Isn't Hakan a Turkish name?"  
  
"Fine you're his assistant Ahmed Hakan and from Turkey. I'm not a director here to give you inspiration; Mingmei should give you all you need." And into the restaurant we went. I prayed that Sun-Yu wouldn't recognize me. He was seating people this afternoon and came directly over to us and bowed.  
  
"Good day gracious, sir. Smoking or non?"  
  
"Non," said Nat and he led us to the table Alex and I had sat at the day before.  
  
"Can I get you something to drink?"  
  
"Tea... Do you know a Wong Mingmei," I asked.  
  
"Are you here for business with Ms. Wong?"  
  
"Yes, but she isn't expecting us." answered Nat.  
  
"I will tell her you are here. What are your names?"  
  
Nat paused and I heard Alex through the mike, "This is my friend Ahmed Hakan and I am Sheik Abduhla Fadil." Nat it repeated word for word. She then held out a business card that Bosley made up before we left the office.  
  
He looked it over and left us alone. "Wow this place isn't as bad as it looked last night. Of course that was the kitchen so I don't think I'll be eating anything," said Nat looking the place over. We sat there in silence listening to the bubbling of the fountain in the corner and the tinkling sound of the music being piped through the speakers. Sun-Yu brought us tea and asked if we needed anything else. We shook our heads no and he moved on. A few minutes later Mingmei approached our table smiling as if she hadn't a care in the world.  
  
"Sheik Fadil I presume," she said offering her hand.  
  
The Sheik (Nat) kissed it extravagantly. "Let me introduce you to my partner Ahmed Hakan."  
  
"Mr. Hakan," she said offering her hand to me. I shook it roughly. I noticed a wince go briefly across her face and smiled to myself. Then I saw it glittering from around her neck, Anthony's medallion. I felt my anger level go way up. I was wearing that last night and was sure I had it on this morning. It was all I could do not to reach and check around my neck. It occurred to me that she must have taken it when Alex and I were there earlier. I knew one thing when we were done kicking her butt and putting her in jail it would be around my neck.  
  
"I hope you don't mind if we change tables to that one over there," she signaled to the table in the corner where earlier today Mahubabi sat. "Its more private and we won't be disturbed by other customers."  
  
"That will be fine," said the Sheik.  
  
Mingmei said told a different waiter in Chinese to bring the tea and then she led us to the table. Once the waiter had left she began, "How did you come to hear of me, may I ask?"  
  
Nat scanned the area with her staff. We heard Alex say as Natalie explained to Mingmei how we were informed be a former DTA operative who happened to be in Morocco during an arms buy. "Nat turn it a bit towards the right and zoom in on the potted plant," said Alex, and Natalie rotated the staff. "There stop. Bos can you help clarify the picture?"  
  
"You got it," we heard Bosley say.  
  
"Okay there is a camera in the plant. It looks like it's been equipped to take facial measurements to verify a person is who they say they are. Hang in tight and we'll hack her computer."  
  
"What exactly are you looking for, Sheik Fadil. We offer a wide range of services."  
  
I spoke up, "We want a biological weapon that we can target a certain area with and area but not have a full blow epidemic."  
  
"I see," said Mingmei thoughtfully.  
  
"The pictures and bios are uploaded into her computer system. Should be smooth sailing from here on," said Alex.  
  
"Well we might have something that would interest you. It still is, of course in the testing stage," started Mingmei when Sun-Yu came up to her and said something. "Well Mr Hakan, Sheik Fadil, it seems you two do check out quite well." She then reached over her shoulder and moved the leaves back from the plant revealing the camera that Alex had spotted. "Its just a little precautionary measure to make sure you are who you say you are. I'm sure you understand."  
  
We both agreed that we did and then she said, "Come its time to show you the heart of our operation and tell you more about our product." 


	9. 9

*******  
  
Mingmei had led us into the back of the restaurant, through the dirty kitchen, BIG NOTE TO SELF: do not eat anything cooked at Wong's Chinese Palace, and out through a swinging door. We turned a corner and were in the area from two nights ago and stopped in front of the door that led to the basement and the labs. Mingmei smiled and said, "You have to understand we do not let people down here who are not our clients. I have to at this point let you know that once you enter this door we are partners. If I don't have what you need I will be glad to create it for you of have it imported, but as clients you are not to speak of what is down these stairs to anyone."  
  
Natalie or should I say Sheik Fadil and I agreed and down the stairs we went. When we arrived at the old wooden door Mingmei stopped and exaggeratedly, like one of the Price is Right girls, showed it to us. "Behind this door is the answer to all your problems."  
  
"I have a feeling this will be...not quite as good as you are making it out to be," said the sheik with disbelief.  
  
"Sheik Fadil let me assure you everything is as good as I say. I am a professional." and with that she opened the door. Although we knew what was behind it we ooooed and awwwed as though we had never seen it before.  
  
"This is amazing. I must see your lab," said the Sheik.  
  
"Nat when you get in the lab film as much of everything as you can. We need all the evidence we can get. Make sure to get the centrifuges and any labeled Petrie dishes, you know anything at all that is evidence of her biological tampering," said Alex through the molar mike.  
  
"You can see the lab but first I need to make sure my associate is ready." She lead us to a door labeled Dr. Wong and asked us to wait there. We looked around Wong's bare office. Like the room Anthony was in it was stark white and sparsely furnished. There was a desk, three chairs, a computer that was turned off, and hanging behind the desk were two diplomas. I walked over and looked at them. Shanghai Medical School for Wong Chee- Kwan, "His medical school diploma," I said to Nat; and the University of Beijing, "and his regular university diploma in Biology".  
  
"Id love to turn on the computer and see what we can find out," said Nat.  
  
"Me too but by the time you do that she will be back."  
  
"Who do you think her associate is," asked Alex, "Sun-Tan?"  
  
We giggled, "His name is Sun-Yu and probably not. He seems to be more of a waiter than part of this." So we sat down in the plainest, room on the planet and waited for Mingmei to return. After ten minutes and a short debate about whether she was testing us or not, "If I had known she was taking so long I would have turned on the computer," said Nat, the door opened.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
I was always a fast healer ever since I was a child. It was two days after Mingmei fixed me up and I was up and about. The cast was still on of course, but the pain was gone and all in all I felt quite well. Well enough to get dressed. I had "talked" to her about it that night and the next morning a suit by Armani was hanging on the back of the door to my room.  
  
I got out of bed to take a hot shower. I removed the liner from the dustbin in my room to protect my cast with then stepped into the shower. The stitches in my chest stood out like black railroad tracks against the pale skin of my chest. I started day dreaming as I stood there with the steaming water bouncing off my body. I thought back over the last couple days. I thought about the kiss on the rooftop. I thought of the look in Dylan's eyes as she placed her hand against my chest when she attempted to stitch it up the first time and how all I wanted to do was place my lips against hers. I thought of how angry she looked when she had to bring me here. I thought about Mingmei and what she said about Dylan never wanting to see me again. I didn't want to believe it but I did. Too good to be true is what Dylan was. It was like going to Heaven for a day only for St. Peter to realize that I wasn't meant to be there so he cast me out into Hell with the demons where I belonged.  
  
Mingmei woke me from my thoughts by raping at the bathroom door. "Anthony are, you done? I have clients that I want you to meet."  
  
In response I shut off the water and dried myself with the large fluffy towel from the towel rack. I wrapped the towel around my waist the best I could since my left hand was still in the plastic and went back to the other room and she was sitting on my bed holding a cane on her lap. It was a cheap version of the ones I owned.  
  
"Nice," she purred eyeing me over. She stood and walked up to me standing as close as she could. I focused my eyes on a spot over her left shoulder as not to encourage her. "The stitches look good too. You really do heal fast. Let me help you." She began to remove the plastic from my arm, "You are a good boy, you kept your cast nice and dry." I turned from her and began to get dressed. "You know Anthony. You really do put up a good fight. I think you should just relax and enjoy the attention but that is just my opinion."  
  
I did have a bit of trouble with my tie. Of course Mingmei was right there to fix it. "I have two more clients today. Sheik Fadil and whatever his assistant's name was. They are in father's office waiting. I really think that since you are going to be very important to my business you should meet them." She walked over to the table next to the bed and picked up the small pad and pen. "Here you go. I really wish you would decide to say something but I do suppose you silence does make you seem more dangerous than you are."  
  
I don't know what made me do it, anger I suppose; I reached out and snaked my hand into her long, thick black hair. I pulled her close and looked into her eyes to see if she had any depth at all. I saw nothing, no joy, happiness, anger, desperation, no life at all. It scared me but I didn't show it. I just shoved her away taking a large lock with me. She didn't say a word but reached up and rubbed the small bald patch in the under-layer of her hair. It used to be that I would have sniffed it, relishing the silky feel against my face, but now all I felt was contempt for her. I looked at the ebony clump in my hand and realized her hair was as lifeless as her eyes and dropped it to the floor wiping my hand on my pants. "Bastard," she hissed. "Come we have work to do," and she lead me to Wong's office.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
"Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet my associate," said Mingmei as she opened the door wider to reveal Anthony. I stopped the gasp before it came out of my throat my coughing. Nat whacked me on the back and said, "We beg your pardon. My friend, Mr. Hakan, has been ill of late." She then held out her hand to Anthony. He shook it. Then I did the same.  
  
"I can't believe it," I heard Alex exclaim; "Creepy Thin Man is alive!"  
  
"You have to forgive him. He doesn't speak;" said Mingmei, "but he is a very trustworthy employee."  
  
I was trying to figure out what happened. Okay I knew there was a chance that he was still alive from what Alex told me but now he was working for Mingmei? Part of me wanted to run up and hug him the other part wanted to kick his ass just as much as I wanted to kick hers. If he was well enough to play terrorist with Mingmei then why wasn't he sitting on my couch eating ice cream? I put that thought right out of my head. Alex was right it had only been a matter of time. He still hadn't tried to kill us yet but I felt certain he would once he found out that we were the Sheik and Mr. Hakan. I should have taken his ass straight to the hospital or called the police. I stood there hating myself for once again falling for the bad guy. The kiss meant nothing to him and obviously neither did I.  
  
"Mr. Hakan," Mingmei called my "name" and woke me from my thoughts. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes, Yes, Fine. I am very fine. It is this cold." Then I hacked up a large ball of mucus and spit it in the garbage can. She looked very repulsed. "Good," I thought and Alex giggled into my ear.  
  
"Well if you are ready..." she led us out of the room and back down the hall. Anthony was walking behind us following. I could feel his eyes burning in the back of my head. I could only hope he didn't recognize me. I don't see how he could but then again Seamus did which is why he and his gang weren't arrested with the other organizations.  
  
"This is our main lab. This is where we start the culture growth of non- lethal bacteria, alter and genetically splice it and test it on various blood samples. The room next door, which I am afraid you can't go into, is where we work with viruses. We have just about any one you can imagine there including some pretty nasty level 4 viruses."  
  
"Level four," I asked  
  
"Yes Ebola for example."  
  
"Nat you need to sneak into the virus room. That is what we need evidence of. It will put her and her friends away for a long time," said Alex spitting out the word "friends". I knew she was referring to Anthony.  
  
"Now if you will follow," said Mingmei, "we will go to the conference room and you can describe to me exactly what you need."  
  
We entered the conference room and sat down at the long table; unlike the other rooms it had color. The walls were done in a wood veneer and the chairs were covered in reddish brown leather. In the middle of the table was a large bowl of fruit and on the wall hung what appeared to be an original Monet. "I am ever so sorry I really need to use the bathroom. Could you please direct me?" said the Sheik/Nat.  
  
Mingmei smiled and said, "Of course it is down the corridor, fourth door on the left." Nat stood and gave a small bow and left to check out the viral lab.  
  
"So, Mr. Hakan, why don't you explain to me and my associate what the Sheik needs."  
  
"Well you see, his son Ibrahima was arrested by the Paris police two weeks ago. I do not know what the charge was; it is not my place to ask. The police however refuse to let him go so the Sheik has decided to take to drastic measures. He is looking for something that is quick, won't spread easily but also is curable as it is likely that his son will also contract it."  
  
"Sounds simple enough. In fact I have just the thing you are looking for. I tested it yesterday. You may have heard about the detours because of a chemical spill. Well that is mine. The news did a good job keeping the fatalities silent. Not that there were that many; because what was spilled wasn't lethal although it could cause other difficulties."  
  
"Got that," said Alex, "that right there is enough to put her away for a while."  
  
"Other difficulties? Like what?"  
  
"Respitory problems due to an allergic reaction to the suspension that the virus was in."  
  
Then Alex said "Oh shit! Dylan, we have a problem."  
  
Suddenly Sun-Yu came bursting in and whispered in his sister's ear. "Well it seems as though we have a problem Anthony. The Sheik was just caught in the level four viral lab. Keep an eye on Mr. Hakan, will you?"  
  
Anthony moved around to my side of the table and pulled a sword out of his cane, looking it over. He looked down the blade like someone sighting a gun or a cross bow. Holding it in his bad hand he wiped it carefully on the arm of his coat. He looked at me menacingly. I wanted to question him, ask him what the hell he thought he was doing. I wanted to ask him why he jerked me around, playing on my emotions. No, I wasn't going to do that, I wasn't going to give myself away. With luck Nat could talk herself out of being caught and the plan would work perfectly.  
  
"Let me know if you need backup Dylan, I'll be in there before you can say 'Creepy Thin Man'," said Alex  
  
"So," I said the Anthony, "Do you have a name or does she just call you assistant?"  
  
He gave me a cool look and wrote, "She calls me by my name you can call me 'Assistant'." So much for trying to make small talk. Not that he was ever one for it but I knew Hakan wouldn't know that. There were several loud crashes that came from down the hall. Anthony stood; alert at the sounds. Mingmei and Sun-Yu then entered the room. She didn't look quite as neat as before and Sun-Yu was sporting a new footprint on his face.  
  
"Which one are you," she demanded to know, "the Asian bitch or the redheaded slut?"  
  
All I said in reply was "Creepy Thin Man," and hoped that Alex was on her way. 


	10. 10

(Ok we aren't at the end quite yet. Are you all upset, excited, wondering what the outcome will be? So am I. Really I don't plan this stuff it just happens. I didn't know Anthony ..well I'm not going to spoil it. So please review. I own no one but the villains.)  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
Mingmei reached over and pulled the mask off Mr. Hakan. It stretched and distorted as it came away from the face of the person underneath. There before me stood my....not mine, she wasn't mine anymore, Dylan. Once I heard her say "Creepy thin man" I knew it was her. I could see the venom in her eyes. Where Mingmei's eyes were like looking at two pieces of obsidian glass, cold and unfeeling, everything was expressed in Dylan's eyes. Currently her green eyes were wearing deep brown contacts but that didn't stop the anger in her eyes from coming through. The red waves of her hair danced in the momentum of the unmasking. How I longed to wrap my fingers around them and tug; to feel the silken strands between my fingers and against my cheeks. When we were together for that brief moment I never felt the urge but knowing that it was something I now couldn't have my whole body felt the desire to rip a fiery lock from her head.  
  
"So," said Mingmei looking at her. "How does it feel to be dead? You are dead you know because neither you nor your bimbo friend are going to make it out alive."  
  
"I wouldn't count on that," spat Dylan. She moved to attack Mingmei but I stepped in between and held my hand out for her to stop. I was always loyal to my employers; I had to be that is what I was paid for.  
  
"Out of my way, when I'm done with her you are next," said Dylan and spun with kick that should have hit my head but I caught instead. I released her right away as she spun her other foot around and made contact with my head from the other side. It hurt yet I was hesitant to hurt her in return. I don't know why. I had never hesitated before. The blows kept coming and I kept blocking them hoping to wear her out.  
  
"Men," exclaimed Mingmei exasperated. "You," she said looking at me, "never hesitated before no matter who the woman was. Kill her that is what I am paying you for." She said in Chinese to her brother, "Get the crew off the floor, this looks like it might be a long fight." Knowing how the Angel's fought from past experience I was doubtful even Mingmei's "crew" would be enough. Mingmei started for the door and said, "Finish her Anthony. There's a bonus in it for you," and she left my alone to fight, the demon against the angel.  
  
"You Bastard," cried Dylan as she fought me. I still defended rather than went on attack. "You lying..." punch, "piece..." sidekick, "Of shit!" blow to the chest below the stitches after which I doubled over. I never lied to her. I never wrote or did anything that wasn't true unlike her. She let me believe that she cared, that she understood me, talk about lies! More grunts, yells, and screams came from the other side of the door. "Sounds like Alex is here," said Dylan, "she doesn't like Mingmei either but you she really hates." When she finished a new flurry of kicks and punches began and it was pissing me off. She jumped towards me and my fist connected with her cheek leaving a bright red reminder.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
As soon as I said "Creepy Thin Man" I saw recognition in Anthony's eyes. Mingmei then came over and removed my mask and he looked at me like he had scene a ghost, then his eyes narrowed and he was once again the man from Corwin's alley two years ago, a vicious killer, he had lost Anthony and became the Thin Man again. I wondered what had I ever seen in him. I knew it was my own foolishness that had gotten us into another fine mess. Had I hadn't taken him in, if I hadn't believed that kiss was more than it was, I felt so stupid.  
  
"So," said Mingmei looking at her. "How does it feel to be dead? You are dead you know because neither you nor your bimbo friend are going to make it out alive."  
  
"I wouldn't count on that," I said nastily and that is when Anthony stepped between us and held out his hand like a stop sign. I told him to move out of my way but he didn't. So with my heart caught between shattering for what might have been and exploding with rage I kicked, and he caught my foot. I swung up with my other leg and caught him with my other foot on the other side. I kicked and punched giving it my best but he just defended himself never giving and blows in return. Out of breath I heard Mingmei complain about his fighting and telling him to kill me. His eyes remained hard and unyielding, just like Mingmei's. I made another BIG NOTE TO SELF: before dating a guy really look into his eyes. If nothing is there do not date under any circumstances because they are the bad guy. She then said something to Sun-Yu and left the room. It was just the two of us.  
  
That bastard! I attacked and attacked. That lying piece of shit. I punched, side kicked. That kick caught him in the chest and doubled him over. As soon as I did it I realized I must have hurt him, I had hit him where the puncture wound from O'Grady stabbing him would have been. If his eyes could have become any colder Mingmei could have housed penguins in this room. Part of me wanted to go to him tell him I was sorry but that was the silly part of me that still loved him so I shoved her in the back, told her that Anthony was dead and focused on the Thin Man in front of me. Outside there were screams and crashing sounds. "Sounds like Alex is here," I told him, "she doesn't like Mingmei but you she really hates." Then I attacked again and he punched me in the face. I fell to the ground. Somehow I didn't think he would hit me. I suppose he lulled me into a false sense of security when he just defended himself. I sat there on the ground tears welling up in my eyes. I hated when I became like a little girl and that hating just fed into the anger I had for him.  
  
He attacked and I evaded. He pulled the sword out of its cane sheath and looked at me then at it. While he was thinking about whatever I kicked him hard and sent him flying into the row of cabinets behind him. He gaped in pain. "That hurt? Good," I said to him. "You deserve to hurt like you hurt me." A brief look of confusion crossed his face but he attacked again. I had hoped that he would be tired, worn out quickly so I could go help Nat and Alex. Any normal man would be after being stabbed with a sword, falling off an eight story building, breaking an arm, almost dying from an infection, but no three days later this one is up fighting as good as new. I upped my attack, to hell with sympathy, and kicked him as hard as I could into the door, aiming for his chest, then once he was down I kicked his cast. He was panting and his shirt was red with blood.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
"Dylan," I said in a hoarse, raspy voice. I couldn't believe she would have been so aggressive. I had taken pains not to hurt her. I knew now that it was foolish, that I should have killed her like Mingmei wanted. It would have been easy but I couldn't. Regardless of her hating me, regardless that she told Ming that she never wanted to see me again, regardless of how hard I tried to fight it I was in love with the strong, beautiful woman standing above me.  
  
I repeated her name, "Dylan." She looked at me, eyes full of tears and a small trickle of blood ran down her cheek from where my fist hit her face. "Why?" For a moment she looked sympathetic then hardened.  
  
"Why? Because you are a bastard. You deserve life in prison. You should have died when Seamus threw you off that building."  
  
My heart tore open and her words echoed in my ears. Then she said the one thing that made everything else make sense, "You had Mingmei tell me you were dead so you could go work for her." I shook my head and whispered "No."  
  
"No? No what? You shouldn't go to prison?"  
  
I cleared my throat and said, "Ming said you didn't want to see me."  
  
"What do you mean? I wanted to see you," she said kneeling on the rust colored carpet in front of me, "I was there first thing, ok maybe not first thing considering I didn't have any sleep but I came. She told me that you were dead."  
  
I laughed a low laugh, something I rarely ever did. Her eyes widened at that and I reached up and wiped the small trickle of blood off her cheek with the ball of my thumb. "I'm not."  
  
"That bitch," she cried. "''I'm going to kill her."  
  
"No, not yet," I said reaching up and letting my fingers play with her hair. She closed her eyes; I could tell she was bracing herself for the pull. Instead I picked up the cheep sword that wouldn't have killed anyone anyway, and sliced a lock off. She opened her eyes as I stroked the hair against my cheek. Dylan smiled at me and said "I guess that Anthony is still alive and the Thin Man is really dead." She then did the most amazing thing. She leaned over and pressed her lips to mine, her hair gently brushing the sides of my face. I was in a waterfall of Dylan; I had been recalled back up to Heaven. Then she broke away and said, "Anthony, I always want to see you."  
  
We were awoken from our little world of the conference room by a body hitting the door. "How are you feeling," she asked as I stood up. I didn't say anything, just took her hand and gave it a squeeze and opened the door. As we exited, stepping over the Chinese man's unconscious body, I with the inexpensive sword in my hand, we heard Mingmei's voice shout, "Stop!"  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
Anthony wasn't dead. He had never been either. That bitch Mingmei had told him that I didn't want to see him and made him think I didn't love him. On top of that she stole the necklace. I WAS going to get that back, one way or the other. Anthony reached up and touched my hair so closed my eyes and got ready for the stinging pain that would accompany the pull but instead I heard a sound like scissors and opened my eyes to Anthony stroking a lock of my hair across his face. I knew I couldn't hate him, I could hate the Thin Man but I couldn't hate Anthony. Smiling I told him that it was the Thin Man was dead and leaned over and kissed him, something we hadn't done since the night on the roof. It would have been perfect if we hadn't been sitting in a conference room with bodies hitting the door.  
  
We both knew we had to go out and finish Mingmei and her operation. Anthony stood shakily re-sheathing the sword and using it as a cane. The red blood flower on his shirt was spreading. It pained me to know that I caused it. I asked how he was feeling and he just gave my hand a small squeeze and opened the door. We had to step over a body to get out the door, but didn't get far before Mingmei shouted, "Stop!"  
  
It was almost funny how everyone in the hall froze exactly how they were with the sound of her voice. Alex was in mid kick her opponent leaning back to avoid it like a professional limbo dancer, Nat ducking a punch that was stuck in mid throw and the thrower fist still out staring at Mingmei, Sun- Yu was trying to get off the floor where he had been thrown, and Minemei herself standing at the far end of the hall near the exit, holding vial in her hand.  
  
"Anthony I thought I told you to kill her. Never mind Ill take care of them. Come here," she said as if calling her lap dog. He gave my hand another squeeze and stood by me. "I love you, Anthony. She could never embrace your dark side plus you don't want to stay here and die a horrible death do you?"  
  
"We know you lied, Mingmei," I said to her my voice penetrating the silence. By now the others had moved and were watching; bad guys and good. "You lied to me and to him. He isn't coming with you."  
  
"Well I see you have gotten soft Anthony. It isn't like you to let a little slut like this one influence you. Well I guess you can die with her. What I have in this vial isn't very nice. I have the cure on me. So even if I am exposed it won't kill me. There is no other cure other than the one I have."  
  
She started to leave. We all just stood looking after her; it was as though she had cast a spell on us. Suddenly there was a movement from beside me and I heard Anthony clear his throat, "Mingmei," he said. She turned and looked at him in disbelief. He squeezed my hand again and walked slowly towards her.  
  
"You spoke" she said surprised. He looked back at me and gave me a small wink; whatever he was doing he wanted me to know that it was a game for her benefit. She started towards him.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
"Mingmei," I said. I couldn't let her leave. As soon as she left she would toss the vial in here and we would all be as good as dead. That wouldn't happen if I could help it. I squeezed Dylan's hand. I could only hope that she understood what I was about to do and could trust me enough to let me do it. I hated jeopardizing the barely bound wounds in our relationship, if that is what it could be called, but it had to be done. As I walked toward Mingmei, I turned pretending to cough and gave Dylan a wink.  
  
"Anthony, you'll come with me wont you? You spoke for me." She threw her arms around me. It made my skin crawl but I returned the embrace.  
  
"Yes, my love," I whispered feeling sick, "But I want to do it."  
  
"You asshole," yelled Alex. "Dylan why didn't you finish him he just keeps betraying us." I turned and looked at them. Dylan looked confused, I couldn't blame her. While she tentatively trusted me she also trusted Alex who seemed to be the level headed one and she knew Alex better than she did me. I then turned and kissed Mingmei, something she had been wanting since Dylan brought me here two days ago. I felt like an energy vampire as I could feel whatever control she had of the situation slip from her to me. I took her hand that had the vial and eased the contained virus from her hand to mine.  
  
"You need to throw it in between them. Make sure they all die. We don't need anyone identifying us later on."  
  
I pressed my lips against her ear and said, "I want proof you have antidote- just in case." She gave me a smirk and reached into the little bit of cleavage she had and pulled out another small vial. I took it from her hand and looked at it. I placed both in my pocket and wound my hand into her hair. She sighed a contented almost orgasmic sigh. I inwardly cringed, it was like sticking my hand in a barrel of snakes, but instead of pulling a lock of hair I ripped the medallion that was given to me by the nuns so many years before off her neck. Mingmei looked at me in shock. "What are you doing?"  
  
I had to work quickly or she may have caught on to my plan. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the vial for the antidote, I could feel the correct one because the corner of the label was slightly frayed. I pulled it from my pocket, wrapped the medallion around it and tossed it. It went right into Dylan's hands. Dylan looked startled but suddenly understood. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the viral vial and smashed it on the floor between Mingmei and myself. I heard my Dylan, cry out, "No!" Then my body hit the floor and Mingmei collapsed right after. 


	11. 11

(Ok here is the conclusion. I think all in all, the story turned out well. I think that the last paragraph feels a bit rushed but I was having a hard time ending it. The typical disclaimer from the other chapters applies here as well. PS I also wanted to wait for more rating but seeing it looks like that is it for now I'll go ahead and post.)  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
I stood there holding the vial with the medallion around it in shock. In an instant I realized what Anthony was about to do. "No," I screamed and he fell to the floor with a dull thud. Mingmei went down right after him. Anthony had just killed himself to save the rest of us. Sun-Yu of all people turned to us and said, "Hurry; there is another exit this way." He repeated it in Chinese for his friends. Everyone started to run past me.  
  
"Anthony," I yelled. "Anthony!" but Nat and Alex were dragging me away.  
  
"Come on, Dylan," said Nat. "Once the police get here they will try to help him." I knew she was trying to make me feel better but I had the only cure in my hand. I just stood there unmoving watching Anthony die again. Another BIG NOTE TO SELF: If Anthony survives this don't kiss him again. It leads him to being killed or almost killed every time. Nat then proceeded to pick me up and toss me over her shoulder.  
  
"Put me down. I'll go." I told her and she did. We ran up the stairway in the back and came out behind the dumpsters in the alley behind the restaurant. As we came out we noticed cops everywhere. Two men and HAZMAT uniforms helped us out of the hole in the ground. One said, "Alex Munday, Natalie Cook, and Dylan Sanders?" We told them yes that was us. "You ladies are under quarantine until we know exactly what was released in there."  
  
I looked at the vial in my hand and thought about Anthony. "Officer?" He turned towards me. "This is supposed to be the cure to what ever the virus was." He reached out and took it from me with his gloved hand.  
  
"Thanks Miss, we will put this in a safe place. Please follow your friends over to the left ambulance and they will take you to the quarantine house."  
  
I went and joined Nat and Alex. They each placed an arm around me and didn't say a word. I took the medallion by the broken gold chain and held it up. It twirled and glimmered in the sunlight. "I said I would get this back one way or another and I did. Too bad it wasn't worth it." My friends just sat there not knowing what to say, "It was Mingmei."  
  
"What was Mingmei," asked Alex.  
  
"All of it. She told Anthony that I didn't love him and never wanted to see him again. She told me that he was dead. She played us against each other back there."  
  
"I heard most of it but your mike must have gone out when you got hit in the face," said Nat.  
  
"I guess he wasn't such a bad guy?"  
  
"No, Alex, he wasn't. He might have wanted to be after what Mingmei told him but he wasn't. I attacked him; he defended himself the whole time. He saved us. He made sure we had the cure."  
  
"We can only hope that she wasn't bluffing, that it really is the cure," said Nat. Then we saw Bosley in the distance. He waved and yelled, "I hope you girls are home soon and all better."  
  
"Us too Bos," we called back in unison.  
  
"Ladies," said the HAZMAT officer, "please get in the ambulance we are going now."  
  
"Excuse me," I said tapping the man on the shoulder of his heavy plastic suit.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"There were two other people who were at .I guess you could call it ground zero when the vial of the virus broke. What about them," I asked.  
  
"I don't know about that ma'am," he said shutting the ambulance door and leaving us alone.  
  
"Dylan, are you sure you are okay," asked Nat.  
  
"No, I'm not okay but I can't help that. I mean how would you feel if Pete, or Jason," I said looking at Alex, "died saving our lives?"  
  
"Okay I guess I see your point," said Nat and we rode to the quarantine house in silence.  
  
Once at the quarantine house we were directed to our separate sterile rooms. At least they were more colorful than the rooms of the facility in Wong's restaurant's basement. The walls of mine were a cool blue, which reminded me of Anthony's eyes. The furniture was the color of driftwood and the bedding a shade of blue green. All in all it was very soothing like being near the ocean. I sat on the bed and before I knew it I was unconscious; the exhaustion after the last few days had finally gotten the better of me.  
  
I awoke to a nurse in a protective suit setting up a hypodermic needle. "Oh you are awake. How are you feeling," she asked in a cheery tone. Through the visor I could see she was an older woman in her early fifties with graying hair and a kind face.  
  
"Fine I guess."  
  
"You and your friends were brave to go in like that and take on Ms.Wong like that. You probably saved LA and I heard that thanks you they also caught that terrorist Fahid Mahubabi."  
  
"Thanks for telling me."  
  
"You don't seem happy about it."  
  
"I'm still tired I guess. How many people are here?"  
  
"Well there is you and your two friends," she began counting on her fingers, "Sun-Yu Wong and six employees of Wong's Chinese Palace restaurant, and about twenty restaurant guests. So approximately thirty. There could have been more if you hadn't stopped her. Hold out your arm please."  
  
I held it out and she injected me with the antidote. "Is this going to work?"  
  
"Well our doctors have run tests on it and see no reason for it not to. I've got to go now but I'll be bringing you your dinner in a little bit," she said collecting her things to leave the room.  
  
"Before you go can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure sweetie."  
  
"Well there were two people who were right next to where the vial was dropped. Are they alive?"  
  
She looked me up and down. "One was Mingmei Wong, the other was a good friend of mine who saved us," I said fingering the amulet that laid on the night table next to my bed.  
  
"I'm sorry. I don't know about that. I can check if you want and let you know when I bring your dinner. Is that alright?"  
  
I agreed that it would be fine and lay back down and covered up with the soft comforter and slept some more. In my dream I stood in an empty field. The wind was picking up, making the amber grain wave and blowing storm clouds in. I looked for shelter but there was none, suddenly Anthony appeared. He was wearing the same type of dark suit he always wore. He walked towards me and I towards him as the rain started to fall. He reached out and touched my cheek running his finger down my neck and stopping on the medallion. He cleared his throat and whispered, "My love," and kissed me on the top of my heard. There was a burst of thunder and when I looked up he was gone.  
  
I awoke from my dream with tears streaming down my face. Another crash of thunder and I looked at window. It was dark and stormy. I wondered how long I had slept. I didn't have to wonder too long because the nurse from earlier arrived with my dinner.  
  
"Can I see my friends?"  
  
"In due time, sweetie," she said kindly and stroked my head.  
  
"Did you hear anything about my friend, the one I asked about earlier?"  
  
"There were two bodies found neither was alive." At that I cried silent gulping sobs. The nurse sat down on the bed and put her plastic coated arm around me. "I know I'm probably not much help but the pain will ease with time. You must have really cared for him."  
  
"I did."  
  
"Do you want to tell me about him?"  
  
"Maybe later."  
  
"Ok try to eat something. I'll be back with the second dose of the vaccine later." I looked at the food, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and a green salad. It looked really delicious but I hadn't the stomach to eat. All I could think of was once again I had lost someone who meant the world to me.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
I awoke in a hotel room. It couldn't have been anything else. It was drab and dreary with a picture of dogs playing poker on the wall across from the bed above the TV and an Elvis the later years painted on black velvet above the bed. My shirt was off and from the look of my chest someone had changed the stitches. My arm was bound in a new cast as well. I heard someone in the bathroom and sat up quickly, too quickly and had a bad case of vertigo.  
  
"Good you up!" It was Dr. Wong. Before I could look for a pad of cheep hotel stationery he handed me a small memo pad and a pen.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"My deceitful daughter is what happened. I cannot believe that I took her in hoping that she changed. No she no changed she just as bad as ever."  
  
"Dylan?" I wrote.  
  
"Your little friend? Pretty thing she is. Well she and my son, good for nothing children I raise, good for nothing law breakers. How do you suppose that happened?"  
  
I tapped the page with Dylan's name on it. "Oh yes, your little friend. She was in quarantine. Other girls too and my good for nothing son. You no worry they never sick and girls at home, my son's in jail. What did I do to raise bad kids?"  
  
I then wrote, "Am I sick?"  
  
"Were sick. Very sick unconscious a week. You much better now. Mingmei wasn't only Wong who knows about viruses. I been working hard and developed a cure. You fine."  
  
"And Mingmei," I scribbled quickly.  
  
"If universe works well she is being tormented by her ancestors for her dishonoring the family."  
  
I sat up again, this time not as quickly and looked for my clothes. "Not so fast buster," said Wong. "You not going anywhere." I stood and continued looking for my clothing. "You leave now you still infected you make your friend Dylan sick. Stay in bed, rest. She will still be there for you later. I sit here in chair and watch you, second son Fu watch you too. He stand guard outside door."  
  
Then I scratched out "I want my jacket."  
  
"Ok but then you rest." Dr. Wong brought me my jacket and I reached into the pocket and found what I was looking for, the lock of Dylan's hair I had cut before we left the conference room. Wong took the jacket from me and pushed on my shoulders, "Rest, get better or you no good to the pretty girl," and I lay back down and stared at the ceiling wishing I could go to my angel.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
After a week in quarantine they let us go. Bosley was glad to see us and we were glad to see him. I never realized how much I loved Bosley, Charlie, Alex and Nat until we were all sitting, with the exception of Charlie of course, in the office drinking coffee laughing and having a good time. I had done everything I could to put Anthony out of my mind until Charlie mentioned we should tell the nuns. I kept my cool though; I didn't cry I simply volunteered to tell them about their former orphan.  
  
I went home to make the phone call; I wanted to be some place that Anthony had been. Too bad it took me two days before I actually phoned. The call went well. Mother Superior's voice cracked a few times and I'm sure mine did too. I explained that there wasn't a body because due the nature of the virus it had to be cremated and the ashes were disposed of before they could be claimed. She said she understood and would speak to the groundskeeper of the orphanage about arranging for the marker. The only thing I asked of her was if it could have an angel on it which she readily agreed to. "Ms. Sanders, Anthony was lucky to have had a friend like you," said the Mother Superior before she hung up.  
  
Natalie called and asked if I wanted to go out with her, Pete, Alex and Jason. I declined. I love them but after awhile even I get tired of feeling like a fifth wheel. I wandered around the apartment and turned on the radio. I had to try not to laugh as it was on an oldies station and Mel Torme was singing, in the back ground. I thought how Anthony would like it, it seemed like a song that would suit him but I changed the station. I needed something louder more up beat but I didn't find anything. It seemed like it was a weekend for lovers, "all love songs for the next twelve hours", is what every station seemed to be proclaiming so I decided to, order Indian and watch a DVD. I would have ordered Chinese but after the whole thing with Mingmei it just didn't appeal to me.  
  
I ordered Tandoori Chicken, papadams, and waited for the delivery. The girl on the other end said it would take thirty minutes. I kept myself busy waiting for the food, I washed my sheets, vacuumed; I hate cleaning but had to do something to kill the time. Fifty minutes later the door bell rang. I buzzed the deliveryman inside. The light in the hall was burnt out, "You're late," I called to him. The deliveryman was just a dark silhouette until he reached the landing. "Dr. Wong," I said in surprise.  
  
He smiled and said, "Had to get a new job after bitchy daughter ruined my restaurant. You sure you want to eat this food here? I know better place. Come."  
  
I looked at him skeptically. "I don't trust you."  
  
"Maybe you should. Get your purse. I think you'll like."  
  
I figured what the hell and did what he said. It wasn't like I had a lot to lose. So I grabbed a light jacket and my purse and went out and joined him in his old beat up Escort. "I know I need new car, we see what happens in future." As we drove along he hummed along to the Frank Sinatra song on the radio called "And Then You Kissed Me". I tried to ignore it the best I could.  
  
"Can we change the station?"  
  
"If you want." He said signaling to the radio. I flipped through the dial, just as I suspected nothing but sappy love songs so I turned it back to where we were originally.  
  
"So where are we going?"  
  
"I fly you to the moon," he said cryptically and laughed. Soon we pulled into a sleazy motel in a bad area of town. The half burnt out neon sign said it was the Galaxy Motel, all the vowels were burnt out and a vacancy sign flashed on and off like a beacon. The motel was two stories tall and covered by grey peeling paint. The second floor was surrounded by a wrought iron railing. Against one of the doors at the far end of the first floor a man laid sprawled out as though he was too drunk to unlock the door and go inside. "You get out. Room 210, he said handing me the key and a box of Indian food. It was then I realized that there was more food there than what I had ordered.  
  
"Dr. Wong." I started but he had already driven off. So I stood in the dimly lit motel parking lot and looked around. I saw a set of rusty metal stairs and went up them in search of room 210. "I can't believe this," I said to myself aloud. "I must be out of my mind." I passed room 220, 218, 216. each step taking me closer to who knew what and each step making me feel more and more foolish. At room 210 I knocked. There was no answer but I could hear the TV on inside. I knocked again and the door opened. It was a young Chinese man that I recognized as Wong's second son. He smiled warmly at me. I was really confused now. What was going on?  
  
"Hi Dylan, we were waiting for you. Now you are here I can go," he said placing a baseball cap on his head and slipping passed me out the door. I entered the room and looked around the TV was still on and no one was to be seen, but I heard water running in the bathroom. I sat the food on the battered Formica table and got into fight position. What a great Saturday night, I knew I should have gone for Pizza with Nat, Alex and the guys.  
  
Then the bathroom door opened to reveal a man in black jeans and a black t- shirt. He was looking downwards, drying his hands on an old motel towel. He must have heard me gasp and looked up. We just stood there staring at each other. He made the first step forward and hesitated as though he wasn't sure if I were real. I ran up and threw my arms around his neck, "Anthony," I cried. He ran his fingers though my hair and kissed me. He looked at the fading bruise on my cheek where he had hit me during our fight in the conference room. He then fingered the medallion that I wore around my neck. I made a move to take it off and give it back to him but he clasped both of my hands in his. Then kissed me again, this time slowly and passionately savoring it. We broke away and he smiled a real smile. It was kind of goofy but cute. I couldn't believe I was there. I couldn't believe he was there. Wong was right he did fly me to the moon or at least the nearest thing to heaven there was for this angel. 


End file.
